Divine Blessing
by DigiExpert
Summary: As the second war rages around them, discovery is made of an Argentine plot to take the orphanage. Rodoreamon works to spread the word to Paraietta in time, but will it be enough? If the government won't provide protection, then what can two women do?
1. Chapter 1

**Once I figured out I could do some decent writing for the fandom, I aspired to do a longshot fic for Simoun. I have always loved ejhawman's fic "Aer and Neveril's Adventures in Time and Space", and wanted to try my own hand at a longshot. Over the summer I began writing ideas for one such idea that I felt would do the series justice. I began writing chapters, but kept them to myself. Now that I have 11 chapters completed for this story, I felt confident enough to post it. I'm thinking there's maybe 2 or 3 more chapters to write before it's finished. I'd like to update here every few weeks, depending on how my schedule works out. I chose to have a beta for this story to most make sure my ideas and wording worked out - melengro from LiveJournal. He does the grammar check as well. I hope you enjoy this story as much as I've enjoyed writing it.**

**Chapter 1 - Reports  
**

"Here are the reports, ma'am." A man in a simple olive three piece suit placed them on the desk of the woman before him. He waited for her acknowledgement.

The woman he worked for wore a serious look, eying the reports before glancing up at him. "When did they arrive?"

"Just now. I brought them straight away, as per your instructions. They were delivered to the side entrance, as always."

"Did anyone see you?" she pressed, knowing that secrecy was of the utmost importance. There was no need for more people than necessary to know about these reports.

He shook his head. "No. No one was around."

"Thank you. That's all I need for now." She watched as he turned and left the room before she gave further attention to the reports. Her fingers quickly counted the pages, noting that this report was shorter than most. In her short experience, the length of pages had not mattered. A short report could give minor details on a dull period of time, and a long report could ramble about meetings, lectures, and plans for future plots, none of which were certain. However, a short report could also contain the quick message to begin the attack, as could a long report. Still, counting the number of pages meant she knew how much she needed to read, and how to direct her focus.

She knew that if anyone found out she was more involved in the war than suspected, it could very well mean her death, no matter which side made the discovery. She received the reports through a number of contacts because of her family name and current position. No one asked about the affairs of a twenty-something aristocrat's daughter. No one would think such a person would want to soil their good name, or would have the intelligence necessary to comprehend the affairs of military men. She wouldn't have thought herself capable of it either, but the current situation affected those she cared about. She'd come a long way from being the once shy Sibylla of an affluent family.

Rodoreamon also knew that her opinion of the war didn't matter to the current delegates "running" the country, which had been split once the peace treaty had been inked and signed. Simulacrum still existed, but only as a weak entity. Its northern territories had been annexed, and given to Argentum as offering. Argentum did not possess the capabilities to fly the Simoun, and thus the technology was worthless. It still had taken one of the ancient Simoun for research purposes. Years had passed and the uneasy rest that had pervaded both sides since the treaty began grew. Plumbum and Simulacrum, though uneasy about the other, formed a hesitant bond. Argentum realized this eventually, and had decided it wasn't satisfied with the terms of the treaty. Therefore, it would attack Plumbum and so the war began again.

Drafts had quickly begun, even before the war became official. Anyone who was a former Sibylla and a male in the Argentum territories was called to the front immediately. Plumbum drafted former Simulacrum Sibylla to fight on the front, and its own priestesses to fly the Simoun. Rodoreamon was lucky to live in an area of Simulacrum that hadn't been annexed, but it was dangerous ground. It wasn't a true alignment, and thus any small thing might also turn Plumbum against Simulacrum, which could no longer defend itself with the chariots of the gods. War begot more war, and she felt that the cycle would continue until they managed to kill themselves in the process. They would fight until only two men remained, and in their stubbornness, one man would still try to kill the other.

She rose from her seat, and turned to look out the large window behind her. Tempus Spatium must be angry. There must be a reason for the discord her world had been thrown into. It was punishment for the sins they had committed. They had taken the gift of the gods and turned it into military craft. Beautiful light trails of prayer became ammunition to destroy and kill. The meanings of Ri Majon were twisted and used to destroy lives instead of to protect and bless them. It was obvious now that the first war did not simply end because the neighboring countries had acquired the Simoun. The war continued because a new reason had come about for one country to be mad at the other. Mad was too simple of a word to describe it, but it fit. Mad, like a child who can't agree with another child. Groups of children who fought each other just because one side did something the other disliked.

Children were the reason she became more involved in the war. She forced herself to read through the military terms and decode them into her own every day speech, pouring over the pages until late into the night. She watched for key attack strategies, the one on the children in particular. Simulacrum children were sought after to be studied. The Argentines wanted to see how their bodies worked, how they were made up prior to entering the Spring. They'd test the bodies, and push them to their limits, comparing them to their own methods of surgically assigning a gender at birth. Instead of Simoun, the children were to be the key to saving their country, though how had yet to be worked out.

The idea was sickening, and Rodoreamon wasn't going to stand for it. So far, Argentum hadn't shown much of an interest in the orphanage or the children, but that could change easily. So much changed easily. It sought the target, and it'd eventually attack the target. One of her former Sibylla companions was in charge of caring for orphan children, and every day strived to do her best to make sure the children were safe, sound, and loved. Until Rodoreamon had seen this, she would have never invested herself in it. After all, she'd given Paraietta the money to fund the orphanage in the first place. What more could she have done? She was a mere woman who simply had access to sums of money.

The answer came to her the one day she'd gone to visit, shortly after the war had started. It wasn't her first visit, yet something about this time was different. She saw Paraietta in action, playing with the newest orphan that had arrived, a young girl with a crop of messy black hair and the ability to cry easily. Rodoreamon had become involved with the children, getting on their level, playing with them, talking with them. Though war had taken their parents, they still continued forward with cheerful smiles and a bright demeanor. The past did not affect their present. They were the future, the generation that would be affected most by the outcome of this war. Something inside her clicked, and she knew what she had to do. With her influential connections, she had begun to listen more closely to the war effort, and the attempts to plan attacks on the orphanage. She knew she could help protect the valuable treasure the Argentines were working to take away.

She turned back to her desk, sitting down. She pulled the papers toward her, wondering what they contained this time around. Much of it was battle tactic or strategy, something that she would bumble through, not really understanding. Sometimes information was provided on the next attack plan, or possible solutions to various problems. It all depended on the way the war was progressing. Rodoreamon glanced at the basic information given to provide a summary of the report. Her eyes scanned the text, searching for the key terms she always watched for. It was near the end of the third page this time around. She read and then reread the statement, the plan. It was worse than before. Where the other plans had easily failed, this one seemed sure to succeed. They would pull the stops on this one. It was not a plan that was set in stone as of yet, but it very well could be, and it was dangerous. She would make contact with those who could assist her, and then plan her visit earlier than she had expected.

Immediately, she began penning a communication notice that was short, simple, and most importantly, gave away nothing from the report that she'd just read. She could not risk the message being interpreted as any sign that she knew of the existence of Argentum reports. _Moving my usual biweekly visit up a few days. Expect me tomorrow. –Rodoreamon._ She signed her name to it with a flourish and tucked the notice neatly into an envelope, which was then sealed with a wax stamp. All that was left was to have it delivered by messenger. Rodoreamon had her own personal messenger, and she pressed a button to call for him. He was quick, trustworthy, and asked no questions. This her contacts assured her. He did as he was asked, and that was what mattered most.

Rodoreamon wasted no time in giving his instructions. "Please deliver this to Paraietta. It must get there today." She watched the soft brown eyes, seeking that he understood the importance of this task.

She received a soft grin in return. "I understand." The man asked no questions, and none were needed. He pulled the brim of his straw hat over his head, bowed and left the room. She knew he'd quickly prepare a travel rucksack and be off. She had no doubt that Paraietta would receive her message, seal unbroken.

The next morning, she rose bright and early. The sun was also beginning to rise, the first rays of light creeping across her bedroom. She dressed quickly, wearing the familiar olive jacket with the black dress slacks. Her hair came last; she brushed it out before braiding it. She pinned it up and tied it with the bow. In her own way, it was her tribute to the girl who had given her life so that another could live. Until that point, she had never really understood Neviril wearing two clips in her hair instead of the one she had worn with Amuria. It made no difference to her. Now she understood. It was a memorial to one she had loved, and by wearing something that reminded her of Mamiina, she felt as though Mamiina was always with her, and would never leave her side. This thought never failed to calm her soul when she was in need of a steady hand.

Rodoreamon took one last look in the mirror. Everything was in place. She would take a quick breakfast and then gather the documents she would take with her. Most of the report had been destroyed as soon as she had finished dispatching with the messenger. There was no need to have incriminating evidence lying around her office that had nothing to do with her secret objectives. She only kept the most recent report pertaining to the orphanage. After showing Paraietta the source of her evidence, it too would be destroyed. She covered her trail well. Thus far, no one had suspected a thing, and that was how it would stay.

The ride on the helical train was long and tiresome. Though she had been able to secure passage in one of the more private cars, it was still crowded. She observed others without making eye contact, and simply listened to those talking around her. There was discussion of the war, rumors of battles that were to be fought or where the enemy was expected to be next, and of course, talk of the wins and losses, and the effect that would have on either side. The companion beside her and those across from her were particularly chatty. It was the talk that she had not heard in her Sibylla days. She hadn't realized how sheltered they'd all been while serving Tempus Spatium as priestesses. She had seen the battle from the frontlines and then further back, but she had never witnessed the battle from the civilian point of view. It was quite a different story. She closed her eyes, trying to block out the droning of conversation.

At her stop she exited quickly. From the station she looked around for her transport. She spotted an older man with a horse and simple carriage. He sat off to the side of the dusty road, appearing to be waiting for someone, but never looking anyone nearby in the eye. She walked over, and he offered a hand to her, pulling her up the short distance. He did not ask if this was the person he was waiting for. She took a seat beside him, and he whistled to the horse, snapping the reins. The carriage took off with a jolt, and soon they were traveling along bumpy dirt roads that led far away from the small village. Neither of them spoke for a time, waiting until they were well away from the village.

"Paraietta received my letter?" asked Rodoreamon softly.

"Yes. She's happy you're comin' for a visit. The children will be excited to see you."

"They always are." She smiled at the farmer.

"Yes. She's happy you're comin' for a visit. The children will be excited to see you. They wanted to come with me to pick you up. Paraietta wouldn't allow it. Said you needed some quiet time after the train ride."

Rodoreamon turned her head to watch the countryside pass, her smile falling a bit as she remembered the information in her report. This area could soon be ravaged by the sound of battle and the stench of blood. Beauty could soon be the site of chaos.

"They'll want to play of course. A few of 'em have been helping me in the fields from time to time. They help me plant the new crops and tend to the baby plants." For a time, he trailed on, continuing to tell stories of the orphan children. Eventually he noticed that Rodoreamon was not making any sort of remarks to his stories. He looked over at his companion, who looked distracted. "Something wrong, milady?"

Rodoreamon realized that her worry was showing on her face. She didn't want to trouble the farmer, who knew nothing about the situation. He was simply a kind older man who provided some of the food to the orphanage, and one of the familiar faces the children saw on a daily basis. She scrounged for an excuse, and found one easily. "Ah, it's just this war. It makes everything more difficult."

"I see. Have faith. Tempus Spatium will take care of us." He snapped the reins again, encouraging the horse along.

If only Rodoreamon could believe that to be the case. Tempus Spatium needed to watch over the children most. She felt they needed the protection more than anyone. Her faith in Tempus Spatium had not waned, but she knew they'd need more than the guidance of just prayers. It would take a miracle to keep the children safe from the twisted plan of the enemy. She wasn't quite sure that Tempus Spatium could offer a miracle, or anyone, for that matter.

"What surrounds this piece of countryside?" she asked, deciding it would be best to engage the farmer so that he wouldn't ask anymore questions about her mood.

"You mean who lives here? Not many choose to live on this land. Lots of droughts can create hard times, but lately we've had some good harvest seasons. Nearest farm is a few miles east of here though."

"I see," answered Rodoreamon. At least if the area was attacked, it wasn't very populated. "Do you think the war will make it out here?"

"No, milady. Tempus Spatium would never let any harm come to those children. They're too precious."

She couldn't help but smile. "Yes, they are precious. Do you have a family of your own?"

The farmer chuckled. "No, I don't, sadly. I'm just an old man who uses the land to provide sustenance for those who need it most. What of your own family?"

"They are well. My husband is away with the war, and my daughter is at home, safe and sound." It was a lie, but it would be harder to explain why she wasn't married. She chose to skip over these small details.

"Ah the war changes everything. I pray your husband makes it home safe."

Their conversation would have continued further, but Rodoreamon spotted the large building in the distance. It was surrounded by a simple stone fence, and already she could hear the shouts and laughter coming from inside. A few heads peeked over the top of the fence before disappearing once more. This caused the shouting to increase in volume, and Rodoreamon was greeted by the many smiling faces as the carriage came to a stop.

The farmer helped her down gently and she stood, beaming back at the children. Her eyes searched for the one she sought. She didn't have to look far; Paraietta rested calmly against one of the pillars of the building. "It's good to see you again, Rodoreamon," she called pleasantly.

"It's nice to see you as well, Paraietta. I only wish it were for a happier reason that I came today." She moved toward her friend.

"I agree with you. Let's talk."


	2. Chapter 2

**At this point, I'm still working on chapter 12, though I'm halfway finished with it. I'm thinking one or two more chapters at most. I keep going back and forth in my head, but I think you'll like where it ends up. I'm super pleased with it, and I'm trying to finish it as inspiration strikes me. Grad school and life really can take a toll on my inspiration, but I keep on trucking. Enjoy this chapter, and chapter 3 will be posted probably in the next 3 weeks to 1 month. Once I finish the story, the chapters will be posted more quickly.**

"Come play, Home Secretary!" called a group of children, gathering at her side. They looked up at her with pleading eyes. A few of them tugged at her pants, trying to get her attention focused onto them.

"Join us!" cried another group, rushing over from their game of ball. The ball bounced across the yard, forgotten.

"I will later, I promise," she replied, smiling at them. It wasn't a promise she would break. She could never say no to those eyes. She tried to help them detach their hands from her pants so that she could follow Paraietta.

"Yes, we'll all play later," added Paraietta, kneeling down to their level. "You play by yourselves for now." She gave some of the more hesitant ones a gentle push back toward the yard and their toys.

"Awww…"

"Well, Laeni is over by the tree," remarked Paraietta. "I'm sure she'd like to play with you." She pointed to the distant figure.

"Okay!" Easily amused, the group of children dashed over to the tree where an older girl sat, brooding. She gave an icy glare in Rodoreamon and Paraietta's direction.

Rodoreamon straightened her pants and watched the children go. "Is she the one you mentioned at our last meeting?"

"Yes," answered Paraietta, moving toward the front door. She sighed. "She's one of the oldest orphans, sixteen, from what we've gathered. She's not happy to be here, but she won't speak about it. She's good with the children though, and they love her." They watched as Laeni proved her point, chasing a group across the yard, a grin on her face.

"You're worried about her, aren't you?" asked Rodoreamon, placing a hand on Paraietta's arm.

"Just as I am with all the children, but I'm afraid of what Laeni might do. We have no idea." She sighed as she watched the children for a few moments more from the doorway and then entered the orphanage, leading Rodoreamon down the hallway.

The two women stepped across the threshold into Paraietta's small office, if it could be called that. The small room held a few filing cabinets, which contained the documentation on each of the orphans currently living in the building. A small table sat in the center of the room, acting as Paraietta's desk. Papers covered the top in a messy array. Paraietta sat behind her desk, pushing aside a stack of papers, while Rodoreamon took a seat in the simple high back wooden chair across from her.

"Now," began Paraietta, looking over at Rodoreamon seriously. "What makes you visit earlier than usual?"

"This." Rodoreamon handed over the report she had brought with her, tucked inside of a sealed envelope. She watched as Paraietta undid the string that held envelope closed, and then pulled out the report. She watched Paraietta's face to see what reactions would be readable in her features.

As she expected, Paraietta looked quite worried by the time she had finished reading the report. She placed the papers on the desk, and looked at Rodoreamon. "It doesn't look very good, does it?"

Shaking her head, Rodoreamon replied, "No, it doesn't. It's sickening, and I don't think we can expect help to aid you and the children. I wish I could help find a new location for the orphanage, but after we secured this—"

Paraietta held up a hand. "You've done enough in helping. I couldn't ask for a better friend, and I'll always be grateful for your help. However, we cannot just keep moving around. Not only does it take money, but time and effort. We'll have to do something else instead."

"Is there something we can do?"

Rodoreamon watched as Paraietta rose from her seat and looked out the small window behind her desk. She waited quietly for Paraietta to say something, but she feared that whatever it was wouldn't be a solution their problem. After a few moments, Paraietta turned back to Rodoreamon. "We keep watch. All we can do is watch the reports and then decide to act when they make their plan for attack."

"But—"

"I want to protect the children more than anything, Rodoreamon. We can prepare the orphanage in case of an attack. We still have the basement level. It's just storage now, but I'm sure we can convert it into a shelter in case of an attack."

She sighed, knowing it would come to this. "I suppose that's all we can do."

"You're not going to give in, are you?" asked Paraietta. "You were a Simoun Sibylla after all." She smiled softly, knowing what Rodoreamon's answer would be.

"Of course not," replied Rodoreamon, flustered. "I just thought… maybe…"

"There was more to be done?" finished Paraietta.

Nodding, Rodoreamon answered, "Yes. It always seems like there's more that could be done."

Paraietta walked back to her desk, took a seat, and placed the report back into the envelope, sealing it once more. She handed it over to Rodoreamon, who tucked it away. "We can protect the ones we love, but we can only do so much. I'll give everything I have for these children."

"Just like you did with Neviril?"

"Mmm, yes," agreed Paraietta, nodding. She didn't go into further detail. "The children deserve to be protected. Perhaps then they'll grow up to change the world we live in. Wouldn't that be something?"

"That was supposed to be Aaeru and Neviril's job," reminded Rodoreamon, chuckling.

"Why did we send them off like that? Did we really believe they'd change our future?"

Rodoreamon tilted her head. "I think so. We thought that the Emerald would give us the miracle we desired, but it's been some time… and nothing has changed."

"Perhaps it was all for nothing?"

The question hung in the air like a dead weight. For a few moments, both of them were silent, considering this. Finally, Rodoreamon spoke up.

"I think it was for a cause. We made our mark on the world. We'll always know that at some point in time, we believed it could be changed by a Ri Majon. Not much is known about the Emerald. Perhaps they still have yet to find out its true purpose," whispered Rodoreamon softly. "Perhaps, someday, things will change."

"Perhaps." Paraietta changed the subject. "So we'll keep an eye on the reports, as always?"

"I'll let you know if anything changes or if the plan is put into action. Right now, we can only prepare and wait."

"I'll see about having some of the nursemaids fix up the basement area and gather supplies."

"What about Floef? Is there any chance we might be able to purchase any of his vegetables that were left?"

"No. We bought what we needed before he left to meet up with his commanding officer. He wasn't too happy to have to sell it all off."

"The bride thing?" asked Rodoreamon, holding back a smile.

"Always." Paraietta mimicked Floef. "How can I find a cute bride with my new carrots if I have to go off and fight?" She broke into a fit of laughter, as did Rodoreamon. It lightened up the serious tone of the conversation, a sign that they were finished the discussion.

"You do him perfectly!"

"It's interesting what you learn about someone after spending so much time not knowing a thing." She rose from her seat. "Come, I think the children still want to play with you. I don't think you'll get away so easily."

"I'm sure I wouldn't."

Both women headed for the outdoors once more. The children were still happily at play, though Laeni was no longer involved in their games. She had gone back to her spot under the tree. The nursemaids watching over the children kept an eye on them from the perimeter, though one or two were involved in various small group activities. Once one of the children noticed that Paraietta and Rodoreamon had returned, they immediately gravitated toward the two adults.

"Can you play now, Rodoreamon?" asked one, jumping up and down.

"Please play with us before you go!" added the others.

"All right, I'll play," she answered, laughing. "What shall we play?"

"Let's play tag!" called one girl.

"We can't do that silly. She can't run in those shoes. They're old people shoes," whispered the girl next to her a bit too loudly.

"They are?"

"Yeah! It's what grown-ups wear when they don't want to play with kids!"

The other girl nodded with this newfound knowledge. "Ohhh…."

Paraietta hid her laughter behind her hand; the look on Rodoreamon's face at that remark was too priceless. Hearing the hint of laughter, Rodoreamon glared at her friend, which only caused Paraietta to laugh more. "I'm sorry," she said, "But it's quite funny the way you look right now."

"Why don't we play with your ball?" suggested Rodoreamon, happy to direct their attention anywhere but on her shoes and how they were for old people.

"Let's play the catch game!"

One of the older girls ran to get the ball, kicking it back toward the group. Rodoreamon picked it up and dusted it off. "All right. Form a circle around me." The children did as they were told, forming a loose circle around Rodoreamon, leaving her directly in the center. She noticed that Laeni did not join in. "Laeni, don't you want to play with us?"

The girl looked up from her spot beneath the tree, and then shook her head in response. Rodoreamon frowned, but was quickly drawn back to the group of children in front of her, calling out for her attention and the ball. She began the game, tossing the ball to a small child in front of her. The girl then threw the ball back to her, and Rodoreamon continued around the circle. The game would continue in that fashion, speeding up as all the players got into the rhythm of the game.

The ringing of a bell interrupted their fun, and sent a round of groans around the group. "Can't we keep playing, Paraietta?"

"No, it's time for lunch. Come on inside, everyone, and we'll get you washed up." Paraietta began watching the children run for the front door, the nursemaids following behind them. She smiled at Rodoreamon. "You'll keep in touch, won't you?"

"I'll let you know if anything changes."

The farmer who had brought her to the orphanage pulled the carriage up to the entrance. The two women hugged, and then parted, knowing that they'd soon be brought together once more. Rodoreamon climbed into the seat beside the farmer, and settled in. There would be another long helical train ride home. Her stomach rumbled, and she knew she would do well to pick up something small to snack on before the ride home.

"Hungry, milady?" asked the farmer, chuckling.

"I… yes…but I'll be fine until I get to the station," she explained, feeling embarrassed that her stomach had decided to speak.

The farmer reached into the bag at his side. "Here you are. You like, tomatoes, don't you?"

He offered her the fleshy fruit, and she took it, smiling. She brushed it with her fingers, hoping that it was as clean as it looked. She bit into it and felt much better after swallowing. "Thank you. This really is delicious."

"Thanks. I just picked them earlier today. Best tomatoes you'll find anywhere in the countryside!" He grinned.

Rodoreamon smiled back, enjoying the snack. Even with the war, she couldn't forget the kindness of those around her. These were the people who would help to rebuild the country when it was all over. She watched the landscape roll by again, changing from countryside into village once more.

The carriage rolled to a stop at the entrance to the helical train station. Once more, the farmer helped Rodoreamon from the carriage. "Hope you'll visit again soon," he said. "The children will miss you!"

"I'll miss them too."

With practiced ease, Rodoreamon purchased a ticket for one of the private cars open only to those of an aristocratic nature and boarded the train. She took a seat amongst the other passengers and sighed. She felt exhausted, but knew that her day was long from ending. There was the matter of the destruction of the rest of the report she carried, and then the paperwork that had been brought to her in her absence. It would be another late night.


	3. Chapter 3

**I'm sorry it's been so long since I've added more chapters to this story. I got quite busy, and decided not to post any more chapters until I finished the story. I'm happy to say that day was today. You're in for a 14 chapter + epilogue story that I hope you'll enjoy as much as I did writing.**

Weeks passed without further word on a direct attack on the orphanage. The Argentines appeared to be moving away from the orphanage. Rodoreamon began to breathe easily, hoping that all of Paraietta's preparations would be just a safety precaution. She slept more easily with this train of thought, and went about her usual daily tasks, signing papers, reading over documents, and making the necessary distribution of supplies.

Rodoreamon paused in her work, looking up. The clock chimed noon, and her stomach rumbled the same. She stretched, and turned around, looking out the bay window. In the distance were the mountains, a pine forest in front. It wasn't often that she took a change to relax and take a break. The scene reminded her of more peaceful times when she was just a little girl.

Images of playing in the large flower garden drifted up from memory. She recalled the many plush toys she'd surround herself with on a large blanket. Mamiina would often play with her after much coaxing. They'd use Rodoreamon's special tea set, the one with rosebuds on the cups. Her servants would serve the muffins and cookies and tea while the girls would laugh and tell stories.

The unexpected opening of her office door interrupted her daydreaming. She turned around, finding a different messenger than before standing before her. A few of the servants had followed him, panicked at the new face. "May I help you?" she asked, rather coldly.

"I've brought the latest repor—"

"Close the door. Then we shall speak." She looked beyond him, and nodded to the servants. They would make sure he wasn't someone who had discovered her secret.

"Ma'am?" asked the messenger nervously.

Rodoreamon eyed the man suspiciously. He appeared to be rather young, perhaps someone who had recently went to the Spring. She noticed that he shook. "Now explain yourself."

"I'm sorry… they sent me instead. They told me you would be wary of me, but they didn't explain why."

"Were you followed?"

"N-no, I don't think so…"

"I would hope not. Hand me your message, and then leave the perimeter." She took the envelope and watched him leave. She knew that her servants would make sure that he left without further incident. As the door closed behind him, she breathed a sigh of relief. It was difficult to put on the front of someone who was cold-hearted. However, that inexperienced messenger boy had disregarded all instructions, forgoing the usual delivery location. He should have never been inside the house, let alone her office.

She took a seat at her desk, untying the clasp that sealed the envelope. She removed the papers, immediately knowing that it contained the latest report from the Argentine army headquarters. She expected to find that they were still moving away, focusing on other objectives. Her eyes roamed, skimming, and she couldn't help but grin to herself when she saw that the orphanage operation had been dropped from the current agenda.

Without further notice, she discarded of the report, destroying it. Her servants were informed that she would be doing an early inspection of the orphanage due to reports in the paper about the war coming closer to their area. It wasn't a complete lie, but the news did appear to be full of more rumors, contradicting many of the reports she had read. Each time the papers had predicted something, they had ended up being incorrect and wrong.

The news was such a relief that she didn't mind the helical train ride this time around, nor did she pay much attention to the gossip being passed around. The orphanage would be safe. The children would be safe. Paraietta was prepared, but it hadn't been necessary in the end, which was good. She never wanted Paraietta to have to make use of the basement shelter. She never wanted to see the children leave that spot of bliss that they called home.

In her hurry, she realized that since Paraietta hadn't been made aware of her impending arrival, she wouldn't have sent the farmer to pick Rodoreamon up at the train station in the village. This posed a problem, but she would solve it. Her eyes searched the village thoroughfare and she spotted a farmer who appeared to be heading in the direction she needed to go. Her inner shy gril crept forth, and she was hesitant to call out. She took a deep breath and remembered who she was.

"Ex-excuse me!" she called out, hand raised in the air.

She watched as the farmer slowed, noticing her. He studied her carefully before realizing who she was. His demeanor changed and he watched as Rodoreamon walked over to him. Rodoreamon explained her situation, of which he was more than happy to comply with. They were soon heading down the familiar dirt roads, bouncing along.

"Paraietta!" exclaimed Rodoreamon as soon as she reached the gate to the orphanage.

Paraietta looked up in surprise as Rodoreamon walked through the front gate. She had been lounging beneath the tree, a large group of children around her. They too, looked up, forgetting about the ball they had been playing with. Paraietta gently shifted the sleeping child on her lap. "Rodoreamon!" she called out in surprise. "Why are you here? I didn't think you were to come for another week."

"I have news," she replied, beaming.

"I am sure I can't guess why you would have come visiting," stated Paraietta as she carefully stood, keeping ahold of the young girl. She nodded toward one of the nursemaids, who came forward. "Please take Reicha inside for a nap." Free of the child, she brushed herself off. "We can go to my office."

"But Paraietta!" cried the other children. "What about the game?"

"We'll play again soon, I promise. I need to go take care of some business right now." She smiled softly at them before turning to Rodoreamon. "I can't imagine what would bring you here from the city."

"You'll like my news."

The two women took seats a few moments later. "Has there been a change in plans?"

Rodoreamon nodded her head. "Yes. The report I received today stated that the orphanage attack was dropped from the current agenda."

"What did they mean by that?"

"I believe they have decided on more suitable targets for their objectives," responded Rodoreamon.

Paraietta rested her hands under her chin and studied her friend. "And you believe that the orphans will be safe from attack?"

"For the near future," amended Rodoreamon. "I believe that the shelter will serve well if it's ever needed, though I would hope we never have a use for it.

Nodding in acknowledgement, Paraietta replied, "Yes. I was able to preserve some food down there, as well as secure bedding. The windows are high, but boarded over. They should be safe down there if someone ever attacks."

In the distance outside, there was a shot, much like a gunshot. Neither woman paid attention to it, for farmers often hunted for suitable game around the area, or used weapons to keep their own herds away from predators.

"Is there a way for someone to get into the basement through the orphanage?" pressed Rodoreamon.

"There is a lock on the door that can be put into place once the children are inside. We've made sure to take every precaution necessary. We can never be—"

Shouting from outside drew both women's attention. Paraietta was the first to rise, running from behind her desk and out the door. Rodoreamon was not far behind. "What's going on?" called Paraietta, frantically searching the yard. Her eyes went wide as she saw the rising columns of smoke in the distance and heard the rumbling of footsteps against the soil. "Noo….it can't be…"

Rodoreamon placed a hand over her mouth, surprise and fear on her face. "But the reports…"

"Were wrong!" shouted Paraietta. "Come help! We've got to get the children inside!" She rushed forward into the chaos of crying and shouting children, trying to help the nursemaids get everyone safely inside.

Trying to assist, Rodoreamon checked over the yard, trying to make sure they'd gathered every last child. There was always the chance that one had gone to hide. She spotted Laeni near the gate, watching the advancing soldiers.

"Laeni!" she shouted. "Come on, get inside! You don't want to be out here!"

The girl turned to look at her, and for a moment, the gaze was all too familiar to her. "They've come for us, haven't they? They want all of us," she stated softly.

"They do, but that's not going to happen. I promise." Rodoreamon tried to give her a kind smile, but it was hard to do so when she could hear the advancing army.

"Can you promise that, Home Secretary?" It was a rhetorical question, and Rodoreamon didn't have time to bother. She took the girl by the hand, and hurried her inside. They were the last two inside.

"Laeni, please help watch over the children. I'm counting on you, all right?" said Paraietta.

"Yes ma'am," she answered before heading toward the basement.

The last of the children had just been taken down the stairs. Paraietta watched them go. "That should be all of them. They'll be fine with—"

Rodoreamon gave her a concerned look when she stopped speaking suddenly. "Paraietta?" she called softly. "What's—"

She too was cut off as Paraietta headed for the dormitory area for the children. She realized what Paraietta had gone after. Within minutes Paraietta was carrying a scared Reicha in her arms. The girl was crying and Paraietta was doing her best to soothe her as she made her way toward the basement door. She banged loudly, getting the attention of those inside. Reicha was exchanged quickly and the door sealed up once more.

"What do we do now?" asked Rodoreamon quietly. She was nervous and scared, but she didn't want Paraietta to see her shaking. She watched as Paraietta unlocked a nearby room and went inside. She heard rummaging before Paraietta emerged again. In her hand were two rifles. Rodoreamon's eyes went wide as Paraietta offered her one.

"I'm going to protect these children with my life. If you don't want to be in the battle, I suggest you head downstairs, Rodoreamon. They'll know of your office sooner or later, and you'll raise morale if they can capture you."

"But… do you know how to?..." she couldn't finish the statement.

Paraietta eyed the rifle. "I know some basics. They were meant for hunting game." She looked down at the weapon for a moment, feeling the coolness of the metal against her skin. "It'll be enough."

"I don't… I don't…" She was nervous and unsure of herself. She felt just like her young Sibylla self. Behind a desk she could make the necessary decisions without a moment's notice, but now, she was faced with battle once more. Unlike before, she wasn't the only defense for the country. However, she knew she was one of the only defenses for the children.

"It's all right. I understand if you want to go with the children," replied Paraietta softly. "I won't force you to do anything you don't want to." She set the rifle down, leaning it against the wall before she headed to the door.

In that moment, Rodoreamon forced herself to act. She grabbed the rifle, pulling the unfamiliar weapon into her hands. She had no idea how to use it, but she made her way toward the door, hoping Paraietta could give her some simple instructions.

Paraietta turned her head and acknowledged Rodoreamon. "I don't see any heavy artillery. Mostly soldiers on foot."

Rodoreamon studied the same scene, having trouble identifying the group because of the dust they were stirring up. "There," she whispered softly, pointing to a few tanks.

"Are you sure this is what you want to do?" asked Paraietta. Her tone left no mistake and did not sugar coat what they were about to face. "You could die very easily. The country depends on you for—"

"I'm sure about this, Paraietta. I wouldn't feel right otherwise. I know what the country needs me for, but right now, you need me more."

Nodding Paraietta reached for her own rifle, and held it up. "You'll only get a few shots from it before you have to reload. I can do it for you, but use your shots carefully."

"R-Right." She looked toward the advancing army. "Paraietta?"

"Hmm?"

"How do I… how do I shoot this?" asked Rodoreamon, embarrassed.

Paraietta couldn't help but suppress a laugh. With death staring them in the face, it was easier to laugh than to be scared. "You hold it like this," she began, demonstrating with her own rifle. "Then pull back all the way on the trigger. Be careful because there will be some recoil."

"Recoil?"

"Just hold it as I do. You'll be injured otherwise."

Rodoreamon nodded. She watched the army, now able to see the outlines of the soldiers and the tanks. They were right outside the gate. It wouldn't be long before they crossed the gate and went for the children. She was going to die. Deep inside, she knew she was going to die and that these would be the last moments she would see. She was determined to protect the children at all costs, and couldn't think of a better way to sacrifice her life than by her closest friend and former Sibylla.


	4. Chapter 4

**I think my goal is to have all 15 chapters posted before summer ends... they're done, but I'm just spreading out the posting. If I don't have them all posted by the end of summer, I'll probably do a mass upload of the remaining chapters, similar to what I did with Lost Storms just now. It's been just over a year since I began writing this fic. Kind of hard to believe...**

She recalled a time long ago when she had faced another situation she felt was life or death. She recalled standing on the flight deck of the Messis, trying to persuade Mamiina to fly as her pair. Her friends were in danger. She needed to be with the rest of the Chor, and Mamiina was refusing to fly with her.

"No! I'm not going to pair with you. Didn't I tell you before?" She had watched on in wonder as the words had tumbled from Mamiina's mouth. "Over my dead body. It's never going to happen." Mamiina had turned her head, and wouldn't even look at her.

She had bitten her lip, knowing that that was how Mamiina wanted it to be, still considering her to be the little lady, the aristocratic daughter of noble birth. In a sudden moment of decision, she had pulled out her pen knife. The comment from earlier gnawed at her. She had been told to do the hairstyle… no longer. She would persuade Mamiina otherwise. If she couldn't persuade with her words, she'd do so with her actions. She pulled out her pocket knife, the one item she had never had any use for as a Sibylla. Until now. It quickly grabbed Mamiina's attention, and she looked at the girl, determination on her face as she held the blade to her braid.

"W-what are you doing?" she had asked in utter amazement.

In seconds, she had separated her braid from her head, loose pieces of hair fluttering about the flight deck. It had shocked Mamiina, causing the other Sibylla to shout at her, amazed at what she had done. "W-what… What do you think you're doing, Rodore?" What had she done? She knew exactly what she had done.

"You called me that when we were little too," she had replied, urgency beginning to show in her voice. She let the braid fall to the flight deck. "Everyone's in danger… they could all die…" The tears flowed freely down her face, but she didn't care. "This is no time for us to be hesitating, Mamiina!" It seemed to move Mamiina and get her to respond. With that action, that decision, she hadn't looked back in that moment. The two had shared a kiss, preparing to activate the Simoun. In that moment, she could never go back, never take back her choice, but she felt that it had been the right choice to make, the right decision for both of them, and the one that resonated in her soul.

Even now, Rodoreamon felt the exact same. She had made a choice and she wanted to show that she was serious. Paraietta had moved away and set up to shoot. To Rodoreamon, it appeared as though should do the same. She stood opposite and copied Paraietta, waiting. Her finger rested on the trigger, pulling it slightly, but not enough to set the rifle in motion. She heard the gunshot by Paraietta and winced. What was she thinking? Did she really think she could do this?

Paraietta prepared to shoot again, glancing at Rodoreamon out of the corner of her eye. "Rodoreamon, you need to keep an eye out. If you don't you'll—" Bullets zinged past their heads as the two ducked behind the walls. The enemy knew they were there and now they had no choice. Paraietta chanced peeking beyond the door, enough to glimpse the oncoming threat. Rodoreamon, on the other hand, stayed hidden, safe behind the wall.

"Paraietta!"

"Damnit, they're going to get us before we can get them." She took aim and fired again. "Are you sure this is what you want?" She didn't look at Rodoreamon, her gaze fixed on the scene outside. Rodoreamon had never seen her so angry before.

"Yes!" cried Rodoreamon as she took aim and fired. The recoil stung her shoulder, and she winced in pain. How could such a weapon have so much force behind it? The pain began to fade, but it didn't disappear and Rodoreamon realized it'd bruise before long. What did that matter now? Still, she rubbed at her shoulder, trying to soothe away some of the sting.

The walls of the orphanage shook with the barrage of gunfire. Surely the tanks had taken aim and meant to bring the building crashing down on their heads? Rodoreamon then decided that couldn't be the case. If they wanted the children, they would need the building intact. The tanks were probably for a show of strength more than anything.

Shouting was overheard. Even though she listened closely, she could not understand the men. Her reports had always been translated by those working directly in the field. She couldn't make out even the simplest of words.

"I think they want us to surrender," whispered Paraietta, peeking outside once more. Her hand rested lightly on the rifle.

"How do you know?" Rodoreamon was certain that Paraietta did not know the language either. Perhaps the soldiers were merely stating what they planned to do instead.

"I don't, but it seems they might give us a chance to hand over the children without any further confrontation. They don't appear angry, and they haven't pulled any weapons out." She whispered softly, steadily.

"You're not going to surrender, are you?" asked Rodoreamon. She couldn't believe that Paraietta would even consider such a thing. Hadn't she just decided minutes ago that she'd die to protect the children?

"Never. I'll never hand over the children to those ingrates. They won't experiment on our future generation!" She raised the rifle once more and took aim, firing two shots at the small group advancing. She hit two of the men, and that was when the other two raised their guns and began shooting.

Paraietta pulled herself back behind the frame of the door, Rodoreamon doing the same on the other side. "I'm sorry you were pulled into this. I never meant for you to be with me," apologized Paraietta.

"No, it's fine. I'm going to die, but I'll have made it worthwhile. I won't have died doing nothing," replied Rodoreamon. Paraietta still didn't believe that she wanted to be there, that she had made the decision to die on her own and hadn't been pressured into it.

A hush went over both of them as they heard footsteps on the porch. This was it. Two soldiers entered and quickly spotted the two women. They were covered from head to toe in battle gear, their faces hidden. Each soldier took hold of a woman, pulling her to her feet, and spoke. The language was gruff, a bit angry, but that was to be expected after Paraietta had downed two of their own. They finished their remarks with laughter. They each twisted the shirt they gripped, pulling Paraietta and Rodoreamon ever closer. Whatever had been said wasn't good, but neither would know if it was about the children or themselves.

Rodoreamon closed her eyes and prayed to Tempus Spatium, ignoring the pain in her chest from the soldier. She prayed for forgiveness, for passage to the world beyond. She prayed for the children, who would be the next targets. She prayed that someone would end the war and stop the cycle the world was spiraling in. She prayed and hoped her last moments would come easy. She wasn't sure she could handle a slow death. At least, in the end, she'd finally see Mamiina again. With this final thought, her soul was at ease.

A loud ruckus outside created a stir amongst the soldiers. It apparently hadn't been planned. Shouting was heard, and then a barrage of artillery fired. The soldiers that held Paraietta and Rodoreamon turned their heads and stared outside in wonder. Rodoreamon and Paraietta tried to get a glimpse, but could not see a thing due to the men blocking their view. Whatever had happened had thoroughly distracted the soldiers.

"Could Plumbum have brought the Simoun?" whispered Paraietta.

"Doubtful. They were fighting on the other front. The orphanage was never something they planned to defend," Rodoreamon whispered back. "I don't believe they ever expected Argentum to follow through on their plan."

One of the men turned and looked at them both, and the whispering ceased. Neither of the two were sure if he was glaring or not; the helmet hid all traces of humanity. Rodoreamon and Paraietta each tried to catch a glimpse of the commotion, but still failed. The two soldiers that had captured them stayed inside the door frame, watching. Something had them rooted to the spot even as their comrades shouted and fired round after round.

Suddenly, and without warning, a blue light enveloped the outside yard. Rodoreamon squinted and closed her eyes; it was too bright to focus on. Vaguely she wondered if someone had set off a bomb. Was she dead? She opened her eyes as the two soldiers tossed her and Paraietta aside. She watched them rush outside, their original plan apparently forgotten. What had caused them to abandon it?

"Rodoreamon, do you see it?" whispered Paraietta. She pointed outside, and Rodoreamon followed her finger, gasping in surprised. The destruction was widespread.

"Destroyed… but how?" It seemed too good to be true. The army that had been directly in front of them had been decimated. The troops in the rear shouted and carried on, and she could hear the tanks firing at something.

"Is it our own army?" wondered Paraietta to herself. She rubbed her chin, trying to figure out the meaning of it all.

"No, wait," interrupted Rodoreamon. She stood and risked peeking outside of the doorway. She caught sight of a group of Argentine soldiers looking skyward and cast her gaze that way as well. What she saw shocked her. "It can't be… there's no way…" she muttered in amazement. There wasn't any time to tell Paraietta what she had seen.

One of the soldiers looked back and saw her. He quickly pulled up his rifle and fired off a few rounds. Paraietta reached out to grab Rodoreamon. "Get down!" she shouted.

Rodoreamon emitted a groan as Paraietta pulled her to the left and she tumbled onto the ground. She lay there for a few moments. Paraietta reached over to help her up, taking her arm. It was wet and warm. She pulled her hand away in shock. "They hit you!"

Groaning again, Rodoreamon sat up, looking at her right arm. She could see the crimson staining her neatly pressed jacket and felt a bit light headed. "I… was hit…" she mused. Injured… so this is what it felt like. She'd never experienced this before.

"Why'd you get up like that? You're going to get yourself killed that way!" scolded Paraietta. "We need to take care of this and stop the bleeding or we'll be in worse trouble. Take off your jacket." Her instructions left no room for argument, but Rodoreamon tried to do so anyway.

"But—" she protested.

"Take it off!"

Rodoreamon did as she was asked, handing Paraietta the piece of clothing. Paraietta ripped off one of the sleeves and used it to tie around Rodoreamon's arm. "That will do for now. You'll have to be taken care of soon, before it gets any worse." She caught a glimpse of another flash of blue, and ducked. Rodoreamon did the same. The ground shook with the reverberations, and for a moment, she wondered if the building was going to collapse.

After a few moments, they each looked up and then to each other. The sounds and shouting had stopped. There wasn't any more firing from the tanks. All was eerily quiet outside. "Do you think… do you think that they're destroyed?" whispered Rodoreamon. She made to get up, but Paraietta pushed her back down.

"I'll check outside. You don't need to make yourself worse than you already are." Slowly, hesitantly, Paraietta raised her head to the window and took a peek around the yard. Nothing moved. There were scraps of metal from the tanks and the remains of soldiers were scattered about. However, her eyes went wide when she caught side of what rested on the left side of the yard. "I don't believe it…"

"What? What's wrong?"

"It's… it's them," replied Paraietta, dazed.

"Them?" questioned Rodoreamon. Her revelation from earlier had slipped her mind, the thought of being injured and in pain taking precedence. "Who's them?" When she received no answer from Paraietta she rose up beside the woman, and took her own look.

"But… it can't be…There's no way…" She felt numb. Recalling the earlier event, she gasped. It had seemed unreal and now…it was on the ground. She and the rest of Chor Tempest had never believed that they'd ever reunite again, and yet, the all too familiar Simoun was on the lawn before them.

One look at each other and they rushed outside. Rodoreamon forgot about her injured arm and Paraietta forgot to tell her not to make it any worse. They dodged the debris on the ground until the stood in front of the large craft. Upon closer inspection, it seemed the two Sibyllae had not escaped the fray unharmed, specifically the auriga. The sagitta was speaking to her auriga, having opening the battered hatch, which had suffered some damage from the barrage of bullets.

The outfit of the sagitta was different than Rodoreamon remembered. No longer did she wear a Sibylla dress. Instead, she wore a long bright blue dress. Rodoreamon caught glimpses of the white cuffs on the sleeves. The sagitta was frantic, and didn't seem to notice her or Paraietta standing behind her.

"…see why you did that. We have no idea where we are and I can't do this on my own!" Rodoreamon couldn't help but smiled and neither could Paraietta as they listened to the scolding of the sagitta.

"It worked though! It was the only way for you to do the Ri Majon properly. Besides, my arm's not that bad." Of course, that sort of reply was expected from the auriga.

"N-Neviril?" she called softly, not wanting to frighten the girl. She figured that it would be enough of a shocking discovering they were recognized.

Paraietta and Rodoreamon watched as Neviril paused, and slowly turned her head. "How do you…" Recognition lit up across her face. "P-Paraietta? And… Rodoreamon?"

"What's going on, Neviril? We're back home?" asked Aaeru. The top of her head began to appear, but Neviril pushed her back into the seat.

"Stop moving. I can't do anything about the bleeding if you keep moving about!"

"Neviril, let us get Aaeru inside. We have no idea if there will be another attack right away and if you are caught in the middle, you'll surely be killed," stated Paraietta, moving to the Simoun.

"It's not that bad," argued Aaeru. "My head feels light though."

"Aaeru, if you lose too much blood, you're going to faint," remarked Paraietta coldly. There wasn't any time for such silliness. The soldiers could have reinforcements waiting, and she didn't want to be caught out in the opening if they returned. Now there were two of them injured, and she didn't want to risk any one else getting hurt, or worse, killed.


	5. Chapter 5

**I had a feeling this would happen and that I'd forget to work on doing this over the summer. Yeah, I've been away for some time, and I didn't post like I said I would. For my mistakes, you benefit. I'm uploading chapters 5-14 and the epilogue all in one go. There will be some final notes at the very end of 15.**

Between Paraietta and Neviril, Aaeru was taken inside. Paraietta kept looking behind her, watching for another attack that never came. Aaeru's arm still bled from the gunshot wounds, and Paraietta ripped the other sleeve off of Rodoreamon's jacket. She carefully tied it on Aaeru's arm as Neviril held her steady. It was a temporary fix that wouldn't do much good for long.

"Rodoreamon, you and Aaeru go to the infirmary room. I'll have one of our nursemaids come assist. She knows better than I. We won't be able to get a doctor out here, not now. If the town's heard of the attack, they'll have walled themselves inside their own homes." Paraietta's instructions left no room for disobedience. She turned and headed for the basement, knowing that her instructions would be complied with.

"Follow me," stated Rodoreamon softly. She led them down the short hallway, turning to the right at the end. Her footsteps echoed off the walls, making the hallway seem much larger than it was.

Neviril provided an extra crutch for Aaeru, who seemed to have trouble walking. She had wrapped one arm around Aaeru's waist, and use her other hand to hold Aaeru's good one in her own. Aaeru didn't seem to notice. "What is this place?" she asked, taking in her surroundings as they moved onward.

"Paraietta's orphanage. About three years after you two completed the Emerald Ri Majon, Paraietta came to me, explaining her plan to assist with the orphans from the first war, many of whom were living in the streets of villages and creating trouble. No one wanted to take them in, but she did. I gave her the money to begin the project, and this building is the result of her hard work."

She looked back to Neviril and smiled as they entered a small whitewashed room with two beds against either wall. A large cabinet full of medical supplies was against a third wall, and a counter was against the fourth, stacked with various folders and paperwork. "Here we are. You can put Aaeru in any of the beds before she passes out."

"I'm not… I'm not gonna do that…" muttered Aaeru. "Why's there two of you, Neviril?"

"Lay down, Aaeru. You'll be fine in a bit." Neviril helped the smaller girl into the bed. Aaeru was out shortly after that. Neviril took a seat on the edge of the bed, and Rodoreamon took a seat on the bed opposite. Absently, Neviril rubbed her fingers back and forth lightly over Aaeru's arm.

"So Paraietta decided to open an orphanage…" mused Neviril. She looked around the room, taking in the surroundings once more.

"She wanted to protect those who could not protect themselves and provide hope for our future. It's a noble cause. I just work behind the scenes when I have time," replied Rodoreamon, downplaying her role greatly. There was no need to worry Neviril over something such as her war involvement. She winced suddenly, feeling the pain of the wound on her arm now that the adrenaline rush was wearing off. It throbbed and she bit back any words she might have used to describe the pain.

"It suits her." Neviril looked down at Aaeru once more. "She always protected those she really cared about."

"It does. She's one of the kindest women I know." The smile she gave was pained, and she hoped the nursemaids would be able to take care of the injury.

"Flattering me?" called a voice from the doorway.

Rodoreamon smiled as Paraietta peeked inside. "You do deserve the compliments."

"I've brought one of the nursemaids who has the proper training. She's selected some assistants to provide extra help during the procedures. Neviril, if you'll come with me, they'll get to work on these two." She watched Neviril look longingly toward Aaeru, and recognized how reluctant the girl was to go. "They'll take good care of her. You know how tough Aaeru is."

Neviril rose from her spot on the bed. "Yes, I think everyone's seen that example today." She walked toward Paraietta.

As they exited the room, the door was closed behind them by one of the nursemaids. Neviril looked back to the closed door once more and then down the hallway. "Don't worry. Aaeru will have the best care they can give her," promised Paraietta. "Come, I want you to meet the children. I'm sure they'll love you. They have a lot of fun with Rodoreamon."

Meanwhile, inside of the infirmary, Rodoreamon had been laid back onto the bed as one of the assisting nursemaids began prepping her for surgery. "Please relax, Home Secretary," she whispered softly, not wanting to disturb the procedure going on in the next bed. "Here, take this. It will help with some of the pain." She slipped the pill under Rodoreamon's tongue and offered her a glass of water. "You'll probably feel sleepy after awhile. Just let the pill do its work."

"Thank you," replied Rodoreamon softly. Her eyes drifted to the ceiling and she wished for it to be over soon. She wasn't comfortable lying in the bed and waiting for the pain to be relieved. She felt the buttons on her blouse being unfastened, and assisted the nursemaid in slipping the garment off. She winced as it slid over her arm; the blood had dried and attached itself to the blouse and her skin.

"Almost…just a bit more and it'll be off…" The tone of the nursemaid was soothing and melodic; it almost sounded like music to her ears.

She tried to focus on the woman, but found her vision to be blurry. Every time she tried to focus, she felt even more drained. Her energy appeared to be slipping away as her body became heavy. Her eyelids felt too heavy to keep open, and so she decided to close them, intending to rest for only a moment. She was sure that once the heaviness wore off, she'd be able to open them again. Rodoreamon drifted off, slipping into unconsciousness.

"Aren't you concerned about the Argentines attacking again?" asked Neviril as she watched the children spread out in the dormitory area. They had been in there for some time, as Paraietta wanted to make sure all of the children were settling back into a routine after the surprise attack. Neviril had only watched from afar as her friend took on the role of nurturer.

"I'm afraid they might attack once more, but it's hard to keep the children cooped up in the basement more than necessary. We won't be going outside for the time being though. I've got someone keeping watch for now."

"Is that enough?"

"It will have to be. It's all we can do. The orphanage is not a top priority to protect and defend right now, so we'll receive no assistance from the Council." She smiled when she noticed the worried look on Neviril's face. "We will do all we can, but we are very grateful to you and Aaeru for what you have done."

"But that was—"

Neviril was cut off as Reicha ran to Paraietta, arms spread wide. "Paraietta! You're back!" she shouted, wrapping her arms around Paraietta's right leg.

Paraietta leaned over and picked the girl up, tousling her black hair as she settled Reicha against her hip. "Of course I am. Did you enjoy the basement?"

"No way! It was noisy and there were lots of big booms upstairs! I wasn't scared though!" Reicha's bright green eyes shined with delight as she told her story.

"Neviril, this is Reicha, one of our younger orphans. She came to us about a year ago and was four at the time." Paraietta then looked to Reicha. "Reicha, this is one of my friends, Neviril. She's come to visit."

"Is she gonna stay here with us?"

Chuckling, Paraietta replied, "No, she's only here for a little while. I'm sure she'll play with you though. Right, Neviril?"

Neviril looked surprised. She hadn't really dealt with young children up close before. All she had known for the last few years were those who were of age to become cadets. She wasn't sure she was capable of such a task. "Certainly, Paraietta."

"Can she play with us now?" asked Reicha, still full of questions.

"Not at the moment. I'm still showing her around the building. Why don't you go play though? I'm sure your friends would enjoy that."

Reicha nodded, and squirmed in Paraietta's arms, wanting to be put down. Paraietta set her down gently, and watched her go. Reicha turned and waved before continuing to run toward a group of girls around her age who were listening to a story being read to them.

"She's a bright child, Paraietta. She seems to really love you," remarked Neviril.

"She does, as do all the children. Even though the war is beginning again, we try to give them a shelter that lets them escape it. War is something they don't need to be exposed to, not yet. They're much too young." She stared off into the distance sadly. "Even we were much too young. War is a heavy burden to thrust on a young soul."

Neviril rested a hand on Paraietta's arm. "We did the best we could back then. It was all we could do." She looked up at her friend. "Why don't you show me the rest of the building?"

"Of course," answered Paraietta. "Follow me." She led Neviril out of the dormitory section and down the hallway once more. "We don't have a lot of rooms here. We could only afford to build so much with the money Rodoreamon was able to secure."

She pushed open another door, which opened into a bright yellow room, lined with bookshelves and filled with tables. "This is the library room. The children can find books to read here, and we also use it to give them a basic education." She gestured to the tables. "Usually we split the classes up because of the large group housed here. Smaller classes make it easier on myself and the other nursemaids."

"Do the children enjoy the classes?"

"They do. Some days we take the classes outside to enjoy the weather. There's also a farm nearby that often provides food for us. We sometimes visit so the children can help him out in return. Then the children will return to class and we'll talk about some of the things they've done and seen."

"I don't think I could have imagined you doing something like this, Paraietta. You always wanted to be a man when we were Sibyllae."

"I had the wrong idea about what it would mean to become a man. Back then, I thought that being a man meant I could gain the physical strength I would need to protect those closest to me… to protect you, Neviril." Her eyes scanned the room, unable to meet Neviril's. "In the end, I didn't need to be a man to be able to protect someone, and you didn't need me to protect you, not in the way I'd always thought I would."

"Paraietta…"

"No, let me finish." She now turned, focusing on Neviril. "I was blinded by those ideals as a Sibylla, but as time has passed, I've learned what it really means to protect someone and to let myself be open to the chance that someday, someone might protect me. I don't need to be a male to get the strength I once desired, nor is all strength physical. Most importantly, I had to learn that you were capable of being strong on your own, Neviril. I could think of giving you the world by taking you in my arms, but that didn't mean that what I pictured would be true."

"You've kept this inside for some time, haven't you? Why did you never tell me any of it?" asked Neviril gently, stepping closer.

Paraietta looked down at her. "It was something I really thought about after I chose my gender at the Spring. I only have small parts of it figured out when we were together as Sibyllae."

"I think you made the right choice, Paraietta. I think I understand better some of the things you did and spoke of when we were younger. Thank you for confiding in me."

"I had to, Neviril. Seeing you again like this, I needed you to know. I don't think I'll have a chance to do so again." She sighed, and then smiled once more. "Why don't I show you our small cafeteria? The cook should be preparing for dinner now."

"That would be—"

The door opened behind them, and both women turned around. "I'm sorry to interrupt, Paraietta. I wanted to let you know that we've finished mending the Home Secretary and the other girl you brought in."

"How did it go?" asked Paraietta.

"As well as we could. The bullet in the Home Secretary's arm barely went into the skin. It was just removing it and then making sure the wound would not become infected."

"And what of the girl?"

"She was a bit more difficult. She'd lost a good bit of blood and there appeared to be three bullets lodged in her arm and shoulder. We removed them and took care of the wound, but she's going to need to be watched for awhile."

Paraietta placed an arm on Neviril's shoulder. "Is it all right for Neviril to go stay with the girl?" She didn't have to state that Neviril would want to see her; the worry on her face was easily readable. She squeezed gently, hoping to provide some source of comfort.

"Yes, that would be fine. If she would keep watch on the girl, it would free us to watch over the children. She would be able to watch the Home Secretary as well."

"Go on then," whispered Paraietta.

"Thank you…" was the soft reply, before Neviril walked briskly from the room.

"Now, let's see about—"

"Paraietta!" cried another nursemaid, rushing into the room. She was frantic and Paraietta recognized her as one of the newer attendants for the children.

"Yes? Is something wrong?" asked Paraietta, worry creeping into her voice. Were the Argentines back already for another attack?

"Laeni's missing! We can't find her anywhere!" exclaimed the woman.

"It can't be," replied Paraietta in disbelief.

"I'm afraid so. She seems to have taken some of her belongings with her."


	6. Chapter 6

She found herself walking along a stone path in an exquisite exotic garden. Many of the plants were unfamiliar to her, and bloomed in a variety of bright colors. Fascinated, she continued along the path, trying to discern at least one of the varieties of flora, but failing. It had been a long time since she had specifically studied plant life, but surely she would be able to recognize at least one of the flowers.

As her walk continued, she found her legs growing weary beneath her. She didn't think much time had passed; how could she be tired so easily. Still, she searched for a bench to rest upon. As if her wish had been granted, a bench appeared in the distance. Ignoring the pain in her feet, she sped up, and soon was settled on the bench. A sigh of relief escaped her lips and she closed her eyes, resting them as well.

The sound of water was soon heard, and she wondered if perhaps there might be a river or a waterfall nearby. The babbling sound was soothing. Realizing that she hadn't heard water up until that very moment, she opened her eyes, and found that she wasn't alone. Across from her was a gardener, a woman it seemed. She was clothed in boots and a long tan skirt, which was matched with a long sleeved maroon blouse. The collar was ringed with white lace, out of place with the simple outfit that was being used for gardening. The wide brimmed worn leather hat covering her head made this detail stand out further. As a whole, the outfit did well to conceal its wearer, and gave no clue as to whether the person knew that she had intruded or not.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to intrude in your garden," she apologized, beginning to rise from the bench. "I don't know how I came to this place, but I shall leave and not trespass again." She rose, and saw the gardener turn to look at her. A gasp of surprise escaped her lips.

"How do you like my garden, Rodore?" asked the gardener in a cheerful voice. Bright green eyes sparkled playfully as she spoke, a hint of mischief on the surface.

"Mamiina? But how? How is it even possible that you're…?" She couldn't bring herself to finish the sentence. This was all bizarre enough as it was. Had Mamiina ever gardened? The thought had never crossed her mind before, and now she tried to think of a situation in which she had seen the girl doing so.

"Alive? I'm not, but this is your dream. Perhaps you should tell me why I'm here?" Mamiina smirked moving closer. She held a watering can in one hand, which had been the cause of the sound that Rodoreamon had heard before.

"My dream? I'm dreaming?" Rodoreamon looked on in disbelief. "How would you know if I am or not?"

Mamiina sighed, exasperated. "Yes, you are dreaming and I just happen to know. You've obviously fallen asleep. At any rate, I'm here for some reason. I suppose it's because you wanted me here."

"I don't recall falling asleep," answered Rodoreamon. "Is this really your garden? I've never seen any of these plants before."

She watched as Mamiina crossed her arms. "I would say so, though I don't know the names of anything here. I only began watering the plants because it seemed like I should. Dad always said that plants should never go hungry." She turned back to the particular plant she had been watering, a large bush of some kind with dark red leaves.

As Rodoreamon stepped closer, she noticed that Mamiina wasn't sure how to properly water it either. "Mamiina, I think it has enough water," she stated, pointing to the muddy puddle that had formed around the base of the bush.

Pausing in her work, Mamiina bent over, looking. "Hmm… you might be right. Gardening really wasn't my thing you know. I preferred cooking in the kitchen." She turned and began walking down the path, gaze searching for yet another poor plant in need of water. Rodoreamon quickly followed after her, exhaustion forgotten.

"You know, I don't know why you couldn't have had a cooking dream. I'm a much better cook. At least I would be successful with that." She turned suddenly, causing Rodoreamon to stop short. "You know, I could always make that mouse stew again. I seem to recall you enjoying it with all the other Sibyllae…" She grinned, which caused Rodoreamon to shudder.

"I don't think I would want mouse stew. How can you even grin about such a thing?" asked Rodoreamon, shuddered at the thought of tiny pieces of mouse meat in a stew.

"Easily," answered Mamiina smoothly. "You know though, it's about time you woke up." She faced Rodoreamon and then smiled. "Next time you want me in one of your dreams, perhaps you shouldn't put me in a garden. I'll only kill all the plants you know."

"I…I will try…How are you sure I need to wake up?"

Mamiina waved a hand dismissively. "I just am. Go. You're needed."

"But I can stay…" Rodoreamon felt herself being pulled away. It seemed as though Mamiina and the garden were disappearing before her. The scene faded to black and she found herself in the brief space of darkness as sounds of the waking world slowly drifted to her ears.

She opened her eyes, finding the light much too bright for her tastes. She closed them again, slowly opening and closing them, letting her eyes adjust to the light. Her body felt heavy, and she was confused as to where she was at first. Remnants of the dream tugged at her memory, and she struggled to recall it, but the vividness that it once was was now just fuzzy fragments to her. She recalled Mamiina, and the conversation her lack of gardening skills, but nothing more. It was a strange dream.

Groaning, she tried to sit up. Immediately she felt pain in her right arm from the pressure she was putting on it. Hissing, Rodoreamon laid back down, resting her head against the pillow. The pain brought back the memories of earlier that day. She had really been prepared to die for the children, and she had shot the rifle, though it had been difficult to use. She had been shot in the arm as well. At least now she knew she wasn't cut out for fighting on the ground.

She began observing her surroundings, and noticed that Aaeru was still out cold in the bed beside her, and Neviril was at the girl's side, her back to Rodoreamon. She could hear Neviril whispering to Aaeru, sweet, tender words. As she looked more closely, she noticed that Aaeru was pale in color, more so than was normal. She recalled seeing Aaeru's wound, and the loss of blood she had suffered. It was only natural that her body was now suffering the consequences as well.

Part of her wished to speak up, to let Neviril know that she was awake, but part of her didn't wish to disturb Neviril or to interrupt the moment she was sharing with Aaeru. Since everything had happened so fast after she and the others had returned from the Spring, she didn't realize that they were in love. Or perhaps, the love came after the performing of the Emerald Ri Majon. She smiled softly, remembering how it used to be between the two of them, how they seemed at odds, and each quite different from the other. That first day of Aaeru's was etched in her mind. The girl simply set her mind on one thing after she learned about Neviril being the Sibylla Aurea. At the time, she had wished they'd kept quiet about it and never told Aaeru, but now she could see that it didn't matter.

Neviril ran her fingers gently over Aaeru's left cheek. "… wish I knew why you did that. We didn't need to be so low to perform that Ri Majon. You forget sometimes that I am an auriga too. I know your talent though… you're brave and not afraid to do what needs to be done. I just wish you wouldn't do something that dangerous."

Her eyes roamed to the door, wondering if anyone would open it. She doubted that the nursemaids would return soon unless she called for them. They were worried about Aaeru's condition. "Sometimes I think you're too brave. I don't want to lose you, Aaeru. I love you too much for that." She leaned over and pushed back the hair on Aaeru's forehead, kissing her gently.

Rodoreamon felt that she couldn't be privilege to the private moment any longer. She spoke softly. "She'll be all right, Neviril. You know Aaeru." She watched Neviril jump, spooked by the sudden sound.

"Rodoreamon… I wasn't aware that you were awake," she replied, turning her body to look at her.

"I'm sorry. I woke up and couldn't help listening to what you said to Aaeru. I shouldn't have eavesdropped, but I didn't want to disturb you," apologized Rodoreamon.

"It's all right." Neviril looked down at Aaeru, and then to Rodoreamon. "How's your arm?"

"Sore, but better. I'm sure that the pill they gave me will wear off soon. I don't look forward to finding out what it'll feel like then."

"Mmm… I'm sure you don't. I'm sure Aaeru will be worse off when she wakes up. They said she took three bullets to the arm." She shook her head at the memory. The glass must have protected her a good bit."

"Tempus Spatium watched over her," whispered Rodoreamon. Inside, she was thankful for that. Tempus Spatium had given them a miracle today, this she was certain of. Her prayer for a miracle brought forth the two eternal maidens, and they had been able to destroy the Argentines swiftly. She was certain that after that, Tempus Spatium wouldn't simply destroy someone who had just saved another.

"Aaeru dodged most of it. When they attacked, it was like entering a sea of gunfire. I tried to make her pull out, but she wouldn't listen. She was intent on doing the Ri Majon properly. It was the best position to complete it, but not the best position to be in if one wanted to survive." Once more, she ran her fingers over Aaeru's cheek, looking down at the girl. "I know Aaeru's goal is survival, but I still worry about her. I could have lost her today."

"You don't have to go any further, Neviril. I understand." Rodoreamon realized that Neviril was beginning to connect the "what ifs" of the day's events to what could have been, and she knew it brought back memories of that particular day so many years ago. She didn't want Neviril to think the same thing could happen to Aaeru. The circumstances may be different, but the loss of another loved one would be harder on her. Losing the first had been hard enough for her.

"Thank you, Rodoreamon." Neviril then changed the subject, directing the conversation away from the painful topic. "Paraietta showed me around the building while they were operating on Aaeru. She seemed to be very happy."

"I couldn't secure very much at the time. I was limited on the funds I was given, but we were able to create a suitable place that the orphans could call home." She recalled those early days, and the trouble she had gone to to get the limited funding. "The Council saw no need for such a place, but I convinced them otherwise."

"I can imagine. I—"

The door being opened quickly cut Neviril off. Paraietta was there, looking frantic. She quickly looked to Rodoreamon and then sighed with relief. "Good, you're awake. I was afraid you might still be out from the medicine." She closed the door behind her.

"What's wrong, Paraietta? Have the Argentines returned to attack again?" asked Rodoreamon. Whatever had caused the worry in Paraietta's face had to be serious. This was not a look she was accustomed to seeing on her friend.

Shaking her head, Paraietta replied, "No, it's not the army. It's Laeni. She's missing, and no one can find her."

"Are you sure she's not somewhere that hasn't been checked yet?" asked Rodoreamon, sitting up in bed. She moved to stand, but Paraietta raised a hand.

"Don't get up. And yes, we're certain she's not in the building. She's taken some of her things with her. Clothes, a picture, and possibly some food in her rucksack. I'm not sure where she would go to, and it's dangerous to be outside."

"Is there anyone out looking for her right now?"

Again, Paraietta shook her head. "No. I can't send any of the nursemaids out when we just had the attack from the Argentine army, and they're much too fearful. I can't even go myself." She leaned against the cabinets, crossing her arms. "I've never lost a child before, not like this. I can't imagine what she'll find out there. I don't even know why she would have run away in the first place."

"It's not your fault that she's gone, Paraietta. You do realize that, don't you?" asked Rodoreamon.

A sigh escaped the woman's lips. "I do, but I still feel responsible. I don't know what to do. I just want her back here, where she's safe."

"We'll figure out something. Do the other children know?"

"I think some of them suspect. Laeni's not someone that just blends in with the other children."

"Go spend time with them and rest easy. We'll figure out what to do about Laeni, but it's going to take a level head to do so." She smiled. "Don't beat yourself up over this, Paraietta."

"You're right, Rodoreamon, you're right." Paraietta looked to Neviril, who had been quiet during the exchange. "How is Aaeru doing? Any better than before?"

"I'm really not sure. She's still really pale and hasn't woken up yet. I'm sure she'll wake up soon." Neviril gave her friend a smile.

"She'll be all right," said Paraietta. "She's a fighter." She looked out into the hallway. "I would stay longer, but I need to go see what needs to be done, if I am to follow Rodoreamon's advice. Someone will bring in your dinner in a bit."

"Would you like my help?" asked Rodoreamon, ready to move from the bed should it be necessary.

Paraietta shook her head. "No. You need to rest and take it easy for tonight. Tomorrow, perhaps you can help me discuss our options." She closed the door behind her, leaving Neviril and Rodoreamon to talk once more.

Rodoreamon wasn't quite sure what to say to the other girl. They had never been very close as Sibyllae. None of them had, really, but they tended to keep to certain girls more than others. Neviril had been a great mentor, role model, and leader, and Rodoreamon had looked up at her, just as the other girls had. She was a shy girl then, and not prone to speaking up like some of the others. Now, years later, she felt much the same when faced with the girl who had once been the Sibylla Aurea. What does one say to someone who has transcended that title and become an eternal maiden? She wasn't sure, but the silence was growing more unbearable. "Neviril?" she questioned.

"Yes?"

"What have you seen on your journey with Aaeru? I mean, what is the Emerald capable of?"


	7. Chapter 7

Paraietta's heart caught in her throat. This wasn't something she needed to happen right now, on top of everything else. She had never lost a child before, and didn't intend to do so. "Search the building again! And make sure you check everywhere!" she instructed. They would find Laeni. She would not let the soldiers get a hold of the girl to perform their vile experiments. She would not lose one of her orphans, not now, not ever.

On the outside, she was calm and collected. She knew it would do no good to panic the other nursemaids, or worse, the children. She would do all she could to stay calm and keep those under her calm or out of the loop. She was glad that Neviril had left before the nursemaid had given her the news. It was not something she wanted to immediately add to the girl's worries right after she'd been told about Aaeru's condition.

As she exited the room, she began her own search. She trusted her nursemaids, but she had to be certain herself. Laeni wasn't a small child, but there were still many places a girl could cram herself into if she were determined enough. She looked closely in each room, checking the basement and the dormitories. She moved to the storage rooms and closets, places that weren't often accessed by anyone, but would make perfect hiding places.

Crouching down, she looked under one of the wooden tables in the basement. Nothing. She couldn't find Laeni anywhere, just as the nursemaids had said. She wiped the sweat from her brow and stood up. She would go and see if the others had found her yet. Perhaps… she wondered if Laeni had wandered into the infirmary instead. It was unlikely given that the nursemaids had apparently left shortly before, but she couldn't pass up checking out the room anyway. Even if Laeni wasn't there, she could speak with Rodoreamon. Perhaps the girl had woken up. Maybe she would have some ideas on how to handle this new development.

Paraietta found that Rodoreamon was awake when she entered the infirmary and sighed with relief. Rodoreamon looked at her, worried, and Paraietta realized her face must give away her emotions, no matter how she tried to hide them. She answered Rodoreamon's questions, putting to rest her fears about another attack and speaking of Laeni instead. At one point, she realized that Rodoreamon would force herself out of bed, and she raised a hand to prevent that. Laeni shouldn't have to be Rodoreamon's worry as well. The younger woman had enough to worry with as it was. She didn't need to bother with an orphan child as well.

Worry crept into her statements and Rodoreamon comforted her gently. It didn't do much good. She still felt responsible for Laeni's disappearance. She felt responsible for all the children under her care, just as if they were her own daughters. She switched topics and asked about Aaeru. Now that she looked at the girl, she noticed how pale she still was. Aaeru had lost a fair amount of blood, but hopefully she'd do well. Paraietta wasn't sure what else they could do for her. Aaeru was supposed to be an eternal maiden. Would she die so easily? Did eternal mean that she was free from all harm merely because she had performed the Emerald Ri Majon? Paraietta wished she, or anyone, knew the answer to those questions. For Neviril's sake, she hoped the simple surgery performed by the nursemaids had done some good. She wasn't sure how Neviril would take it if she lost another beloved pair.

Leaving the two to their own devices, she headed down the hallway to the dining hall. Perhaps someone had more information on Laeni that she did not. At the very least, seeing the other children might help ease her soul a bit. She entered a noisy dining hall and waved to the children as they called her name excitedly. It was understandable that they would be stirred up after the attack by the soldiers. They didn't understand the realities or the danger that such an attack involved. She was glad they didn't since it was easier for them to recover from an attack. The children didn't know that the soldiers wanted them to experiment on, or that she and Rodoreamon could have easily died if Aaeru and Neviril had not shown up. Childhood innocence was a blessing for them.

"Paraietta, please come eat the evening meal with us," whispered a nursemaid softly as she passed. "You'll need to have the strength to continue your search." She took Paraietta gently by the arm and began weaving between the tables.

"Yes, I know. Have there been any changes?"

The nursemaid shook her head. "No, I'm afraid not. We could not find her in the building. Did you have any better luck?"

"No. She's run away outside somewhere is my guess. There are farms nearby, so I can hope that she's headed for one of them." It was the only logical conclusion she could reach. At least, the only conclusion she would let herself think about. She preferred not to think of the other possible conclusion.

She was led to a table with a spot set aside just for her. Five bright eyed girls looked up at her, grinning from ear to ear as she took a seat at their table. It was the rule of the orphanage that the children could earn a spot eating meals with her if they completed their tasks, were well behaved, and finished their schooling in an efficient and correct manner. For most, it worked very well.

"Look, Paraietta! We get chicken tonight!"

"And potatoes and bread too!"

"I wonder if dessert will be something really good too?"

"Oooh yeah!"

She smiled at the girls. "Yes, it is a wonderful meal. We haven't had chicken in awhile, have we?"

"No way! Just that pasta stuff!" The girl wrinkled her nose as she spoke.

"That's right. I know it's not your favorite, is it?"

"No way!" Again, another wrinkling of the nose.

As the meal continued, Paraietta felt herself relax a bit. She was worried for Laeni, but she had other children who needed her attention and care as well. She was only capable of so much, and she had forgotten that.

"Hey, look! Cookies for dessert!"

"And they're chocolate chip!" agreed another girl.

"They're still warm and all gooey inside." The girl had chocolate smeared around her mouth from the cookie, and Paraietta laughed softly.

"I see that. It must be really good then," she replied. She picked up the cookie that had been placed on her place and smiled. It was a rare treat for the children to have cookies fresh baked, and she wondered if the cook had made sure to give them something to make the terrible events of the day end on a better note.

Paraietta thought of how wonderful it was to be sharing a meal with them, and how glad she was that things had not gone as the Argentine army had planned. She bit into the soft treat. The cookie was just as good as they had said it was. She smiled and laughed with them, letting herself be caught up in the moment for just a bit longer.

It was not until after all the girls had been settled into their beds that night that she was able to meet with the other nursemaids and discuss the situation with them. Not all of them knew what had happened, and so the story was told to bring them up to speed. There were many concerned looks.

"What should we do, Paraietta?"

"I am still trying to figure that out. It's not safe for anyone to go search for her after today's attack. We don't know what the Argentines have planned or if there are more nearby."

"What about the child? We're to leave her out there?"

"I do not wish to put anyone in danger. If you would like to volunteer to search for her, you are free to do so. However, we also have to think of the duties we are bound to here. I would not make any of you search for her out in the forest and farmland, but I will not stop you."

"Aren't you concerned about her?"

Paraietta sighed heavily. "I am. I'm worried that we've made it possible for a child to run away without being noticed. If Laeni can do it, any of the other children could as well. The last thing I want is more children following after her." She looked at the women gathered around her, knowing that many were older than her, and had possibly had a child or two of her own. "I would like to search for her and bring her back here, but I also have all the others to worry over and protect."

"We are leaving her out there then?"

"Yes, I'm afraid so. She's nearly 17 from what our records show and she has to be capable of surviving on her own. I am hoping that she'll get this out of her system and return here. In the mean time, I don't want word to get around to the other children that she's missing."

A younger nursemaid spoke up, one close in age to her own. "I don't mean to be rude, but why are we lying to the children? They adore Laeni and are easily going to see that she's missing."

"We'll use the infirmary as the lie. I don't like lying to them either, but I don't want any of them trying to find her or follow her. Now is the worst time for any of them to play a game like that. If any of the children ask, just say that she's sick and in the infirmary. They are never allowed in there to visit anyone, so it's very plausible."

"And what if she never returns?"

Paraietta felt her heart catch in her throat. She didn't want to consider that possibility now, not yet. It was too early to do so. "We will deal with that when the need arises. For now, Laeni is sick."

As she watched the women retire to their own room for the night and some to watch over the children for the night shift, she felt as though the meeting had not gone over well. Had she made the wrong decision? Should she, in fact, be out there searching for Laeni right now, moving about the land until she returned triumphantly with the teenager? She didn't know. She wasn't firm in her decision that she'd given moments ago, but it had seemed that way. She didn't know what she should do.

After all these years, she still hesitated. She was tempted to go to Rodoreamon and seek her advice, but she quickly dismissed the thought. It reminded her of her exchange with Dominura as a teenager, and how she had been uncertain of herself then too. Seeking Rodoreamon's advice would only be a device of comforting herself. Rodoreamon, while having helped with the funding and projects for the orphanage, did not have experience in working with the children, nor was she around them on a daily basis. Paraietta shook her head. She would refrain from heading to the infirmary.

She undressed and prepared for bed. She had her own private quarters in the very back of the building, although they were very small and cramped. She had sacrificed comfort for necessity. The nightshirt was pulled over her head and she smoothed the white folds of the fabric done. A lamp was lit and she began to remove the simple makeup she wore. Once finished, she couldn't help but gaze at the face of the woman staring back at her. If things had not turned out as they had, she might not have been alive to complete this set of mundane tasks.

Sighing, she rose and slipped beneath the sheets. Tomorrow, perhaps, would bring a clearer understanding of what she should do. Tomorrow she might have a different opinion for the nursemaids. Tomorrow, she might discover information on the Argentines and their plan. Tomorrow, Laeni might return to the orphanage. Tomorrow… She drifted off to sleep without another thought.

Meanwhile, while those at the orphanage slept soundly beneath a roof, Laeni rested her back against the barn. She didn't know why she'd ended up here of all places. She was simply tired of being stuck with all the children and not being able to do anything. She loved the younger girls, but she always felt so much older. She'd listened as Paraietta and the other nursemaids had discussed the war at times. She had pretended not to hear, but she knew.

She knew that things were never very good for the orphanage and that Paraietta often worried for all the orphans. She knew that Paraietta knew some of the soldiers, even a soldier on the other side. It was easy to figure all of that out, if one paid attention. She looked up at the night sky, and wondered if anyone would come after her.

Truthfully, she wasn't sure what she was going to do now. It was getting cooler, and her stomach rumbled. She didn't know what to do for food or a bed, but she'd find something. She didn't want to just go back to the orphanage now. She wasn't sure she could find her way in the dark. Well, she'd just camp out here for the night. If she could find a way into the barn…

Rising to her feet, she felt around the wood, trying to find a latch for the door. She knew it was somewhere, but she couldn't see a thing in the dark. She pulled her hand back quickly when she suddenly felt pain in her finger. She could feel the splinter, though she couldn't see it or take it out. She sucked on her finger anyway even though it did nothing to relieve the pain. Her hand continued to search, and finally alighted on cool metal. The door!

A few quick tugs and she knew she wasn't going to be so lucky. The barn door was locked and no matter how hard she tugged, that wasn't going to suddenly make the door open. Angrily, she kicked the wooden barrier and got nothing more pain in her foot. It looked like she would be spending the night under the stars.

Laeni walked around to the back of the barn again and settled onto the ground. She rubbed her arms to warm them and wished she had worn more suitable clothing. She reached for her rucksack, which she had left against the building. She pulled a shirt from the bag and placed it over her arms. It was all she had to keep herself warm.

The cold ground didn't make the best of beds, but it would do for tonight. She rested her head on her rucksack and closed her eyes. If she didn't think about it, she didn't feel the rocks or the hard ground cutting into her backside. If she didn't think about it, she didn't feel the hunger pangs in her stomach.

Idly, her hand reached into her rucksack and felt around. Her fingers brushed against the tip of heavy paper. It was the one thing she had had long before she had come to the orphanage. The memory of what was forever printed onto that paper meant more to her than anything in her rucksack. Running her fingers back and forth over the photograph helped to settle her nerves. Her eyes grew heavier and finally closed as her breathing evened out. Her fingers grew still, but continued to rest over the photograph.


	8. Chapter 8

Rodoreamon awoke to find the room encased in darkness. She realized that it must be the middle of the night, but couldn't figure out why she'd woken up. It was unusual for her not to sleep through the night unless there was a storm outside that was loud enough to wake her. She began to focus on her surroundings, and that was when she heard the soft sobbing and hushed voices. She couldn't help but listen quietly.

"But Neviril…"

"No, Aaeru, you don't understand how it makes me feel."

"I'm fine though. I just feel really tired and my arm's sore."

"You were pale and unconscious for hours. No one was sure if you'd wake up easily or not. It was serious. You could have died."

"But things are okay now."

Rodoreamon tried to fall back asleep and block out the conversation she was hearing. She wasn't meant to hear this intimate moment between the couple. She started raise her hands to cover her ears, but realized that the sudden movement might alert them to her being awake. She didn't want to be discovered as being an eavesdropper, even though it would have been an accident. Neviril was quite upset and Rodoreamon had never heard her crying before. She found this odd since it seemed she would have at some point when they were Sibyllae and had shared many ups and downs.

"Stop saying that. Why can't you understand?"

"I… I'm sorry."

Neviril never gave a response. Rodoreamon could hear her crying muffled by fabric. Vaguely she wondered if Neviril was crying into Aaeru's chest or into the pillow. She quickly realized that it wasn't something she should be wondering. She squeezed the fabric between her fingers, anything to keep busy. Closing her eyes, she hoped to fall back asleep quickly. She didn't want to be part of this conversation, even as a listener.

When Rodoreamon awoke the next morning, she found Paraietta sitting on the edge of her bed. She rolled over, glancing at the bed beside her. Neviril and Aaeru were curled against each other, Neviril's head on Aaeru's chest as Aaeru's left arm was wrapped around her pair. The two must have made up after she'd fallen asleep again. The thought made Rodoreamon smile. She turned back to Paraietta.

"I'm sorry to wake you," began Paraietta softly.

"No, it's fine," assured Rodoreamon. "I would normally be awake by now if I were at home. Of course, it's not every day that I wake up after being shot the day before, is it?"

"I would hope not," remarked Paraietta, smiling Her eyes, however, could not help but glance at the bandages around Rodoreamon's arm. It made her slightly uncomfortable to see them there, and she couldn't help but feel as though part of it was her fault.

"How did your search for Lani go? Has anyone found her?" Rodoreamon pulled herself into a sitting position with her good arm so that it was easier to speak and more comfortable.

Paraietta shook her head. "I'm afraid not. She's still missing."

Studying her friend, Rodoreamon smiled softly. "And you want to go after her, but you're not sure if it's safe, if the soldiers are out there, and if it would be right to choose one child over another." It was a statement, rather than a question.

"Yes, exactly. If it weren't war, I don't think I'd be this worried, but…"

"Paraietta, she is nearly an adult. I think she is capable of taking care of herself to a degree, moreso than one of the younger children. It's not the best way to logically reason, but it helps to ease some of the worry."

"I guess I hadn't thought of it that way. I said I did yesterday, with the nursemaids, but I didn't want them to know otherwise. I'm not sure if she's able to take care of herself like that."

"Whether we like it or not, she's going to have to survive on her own for now. If she gets tired of running away, she can always return. Aren't there also farms around here?"

"Yes, they aren't too far away."

"If one of the farmers finds her, they may return her."

"… I still worry that the Argentine army will find her first," spoke Paraietta softly. "I don't think I'd be so worried otherwise." She realized how her statement came across and then corrected herself. "I still would worry, but—"

"—This time it's different. If any of the farmers pass by, we can pass the word on, but I'm afraid the news of the attack will keep anyone away."

"You're the only one I can talk to about this. I couldn't let the others know yesterday what I really felt. I needed to be strong for them so that we could all be strong for the children."

"I understand," answered Rodoreamon, patting her arm softly. She looked over at the sleeping couple again, wondering if they'd woken the pair up. They hadn't been talking loudly, but she wasn't sure if the two were heavy sleepers. She realized that if she had woken the pair, Aaeru would have most likely spoken up.

"It seems Aaeru woke up last night some time. One of the nursemaids told me this morning," stated Paraietta, interrupting her thoughts.

"Yes… I happened to overhear the two of them speaking last night." Rodoreamon decided it was best not to disclose exactly the conversation she'd heard, feeling that it was personal to the couple, who had not expected it to be heard.

"The nursemaid performed a quick check-up. Aaeru should be fine, as long as she keeps the arm rested and doesn't put a lot of weight on it."

"I still wonder how they managed to come to our time."

"It's a story they'll have to tell us when there's a moment of peace. I would be interested in knowing myself."

Later that afternoon, Paraietta led Rodoreamon into her office. It was the only place they could speak privately about other affairs, just as they had before the attack. They each settled into a chair and looked at the other for a few moments. Paraietta rested her elbows on the desk and then rested her chin on top of her hands.

"I think you know why I asked to speak with you."

"We need to decide a course of action in case the Argentines attack again, correct?"

Paraietta nodded. "Yes. Is there any way you can get in touch with your contacts? Any way that we can send a message to the outside?"

Rodoreamon considered this for a moment. "I'm not sure. We don't know if it's safe to travel the main road yet, and we have no way to contact anyone." She smiled softly. "And I'm not sure I'd feel comfortable leaving you here to defend the orphanage on your own."

"We do have a Simoun now."

"But only one of the pilots is capable of flying it currently, and neither you nor I can fly one anymore. We'd need another Sibyllae, and only Plumbish priestesses are Sibyllae now."

"True. However, I'm sure the other pilot would choose to fight anyway."

"I'm not sure that her sagitta would be very happy with that decision."

Paraietta chuckled. "You do have a point." She grew serious. "Still…without a way to get in touch with your contacts, we're searching in the dark for answers."

"…And living in fear of the next attack," finished Rodoreamon. "How long are we going to wait here? We can't keep the orphanage running without new supplies for too long."

"I…I'm not sure. You'll have to leave sooner or later; your disappearance will be noticed. I'm not sure how that would go over with the other officials."

"Yes… and if I return in this condition, the news will spread, but I have other duties that need attended to. I can't continue to put off the rest of the paperwork from my regular duties."

"I'm sure you'll disagree with me on this, but I'm going to make plans for the farmer to take you to the village tomorrow so that you might catch an early train. I don't want you to fuss either. I'm sure someone will be willing to undertake the errand today."

"I do understand, Paraietta. Please believe me when I say I would prefer to stay here in case of another attack."

"You've done plenty as it is. I'm grateful to you for what you did, and not just because you're the Home Secretary." Paraietta rose from her seat and moved around the desk, offering a hand to Rodoreamon.

"I know," replied Rodoreamon simply, taking the proffered hand and rising from her seat. "Are you going to make arrangements for tomorrow?"

"Yes. I have a few nursemaids in mind who may be up to the task of taking word to the farmer. Don't worry. I'll take care of everything. How is your arm doing?"

"It's become a bit sore again, but I can ignore the pain." She smiled reassuringly.

"I'll have someone take a look at it. I want to make sure it's healing all right. We still have enough medicine as well."

"No, you don't need to do that. I'm fine, really."

Paraietta ignored her remarks and stepped into the hallway, closing the door behind her. Rodoreamon sighed and took a seat, waiting. She knew that Paraietta would return as promised. She could not say no to the older woman. After all the time away from the Simoun and Chor Tempest, she still considered her to be a woman to defer to in the chain of command.

The clacking of heels against the floor alerted her to Paraietta's return. A nursemaid entered behind her, and Rodoreamon subjected herself to being fussed over. She knew her arm didn't require such attention, and she would have preferred that they did the same for Aaeru, who she knew was worse off. The lavish extras of her ranking did not appeal to her in times like these. She preferred the simpler things.

That evening, children and nursemaids sat down for dinner. No one told the children that the supplies were running low. No one told the children they'd have to eat less because there may not be enough for dinner the next night. All was calm, and the laughter rang out in the room.

In the very back of the room sat Paraietta and Rodoreamon. The two were talking in low tones as they ate, serious looks on their faces. A nursemaid had been dispatched to take a message to the farmer, but had not returned just yet. At that point in time, there wasn't much concern for worry just yet. Discussion of Rodoreamon's journey was briefly discussed. Rodoreamon still protested over leaving the orphanage while there still was a chance of an attack.

Their conversation was interrupted when the back door opened, and the nursemaid who was on lookout slipped into the room. The look on her face told Paraietta what was going on, even before she spoke.

"Simoun! In the sky!" cried the younger girl.

"Hush! Keep your voices low. The children don't need to hear this."

"I'm sorry, Paraietta." She cleared her throat and tried again. "I saw Simoun in the sky to the north."

"You're certain?" questioned Paraietta. She felt her stomach drop when the girl nodded. She had expected another attack, but not so soon after the first. She had expected that there would be time to plan for the next one. Tempus Spatium had not given her the time she would need to properly make sure the children were cared for. She rose from her seat, intending to get a look herself. She heard Rodoreamon's chair scrape against the floor beside her, and knew the woman would follow.

Meanwhile, Laeni pushed her chair back from the large wooden table. Her stomach was full. It hadn't been very long since she'd left the orphanage, yet she couldn't stand the hunger pangs that rumbled in her stomach. She'd been fed potatoes and ham, which suited her just fine. She was ready to go back to the orphanage, if only to stay until she could go to the Spring. At least she didn't have to survive in the wilderness. When she had decided to run away, she hadn't thought her plan carefully through. She had acted on impulse, rather than calculation.

She didn't want to be treated like some child. She didn't want to feel so out of place. But she missed the children and their antics. She wondered if they knew she was gone. She knew that she would be in trouble when she returned, but she wasn't sure she really cared. Nothing would change. Paraietta was sure to treat her like the other children from now on because of what she'd done.

"Are you ready?" The kind farmer smiled at her. He had found her passed out behind the barn. She had been ready to not tell him why she was there, but he never asked. He simply helped her inside, and fed her. "If we hurry, we should make it back before nightfall. I'm sure Paraietta is worried about you."

Laeni wasn't so sure of that. She didn't think Paraietta was very fond of her. She wasn't going to tell the farmer that though. "Sure," she replied tersely. She rose from the table and followed him outside.

The farmer led her to the familiar old cart he used when delivering vegetables and other produce to the orphanage. She'd never ridden in it before, but the children told her all about the rides he gave them when they helped with the harvest. "Climb on in. It won't take very long."

With a click of his tongue, the farmer started the cart. The horse began to pull, and the two of them traveled at a steady pace along the dirt road. Overhead, Laeni saw what looked like birds high in the sky. She paid them no mind. They were too high to look like much of anything else.


	9. Chapter 9

She moved quickly down the hallway, praying to Tempus Spatium that it wasn't true. Paraietta didn't believe that the nursemaid would be telling a lie, but she also knew that other objects could be taken for Simoun if they were high enough in the sky. As she stepped onto the porch of the orphanage and looked up, her heart dropped. Even though it was far off still, she knew it to be a Simoun. Her years as a Sibyllae gave her all the answer she needed. Unfortunately, she was also on the receiving end this time; she began to understand what her enemies had felt back then.

"It's true, isn't it?" asked Rodoreamon softly, coming to stand behind her.

Paraietta nodded. "I didn't think they'd attack so soon. I was sure that we'd bought some time with the last attack."

Rodoreamon rested her good hand on Paraietta's shoulder. "We at least had a day. They want the children and it must be important if they'll stop at nothing to get them. All we can do is keep them from getting too close."

"I won't let them."

Paraietta turned and headed back to the dining area. Rodoreamon followed, knowing the other woman's determination to protect the children. Without too much fuss, Paraietta gathered the nursemaids in the back of the room. "The Argentines have returned. We must get the children to the basement, quickly."

"Are you sure they are back?" asked one.

"At the very least, they've sent Simoun on patrol. If those Simoun began performing Ri Majons, they could level the building in no time. We must get the children to the basement." She was determined. "It's more important that we take every precaution, instead of waiting for them to attack."

"Yes ma'am."

The children were taken to the basement after a quick announcement. Dinner was left on the table in various states, and some of the children had grabbed their bread if they had not eaten it yet. Paraietta knelt down, reassuring the children as they passed. Her face had gone from a mix of concern, worry, and determination to one of kindness and compassion. She spoke softly to the ones that looked the most scared, patting their back. As the last child passed, she stood back up.

"That was touching. You'll be a great mother one of these days," remarked Rodoreamon.

"I just want to survive today first," replied Paraietta. "Our only hope is Aaeru and Neviril, and they can't fly."

"Shouldn't we get them to the basement?"

"That's where I'm headed for. Unfortunately, I don't think they'll be going there. Part of me is glad for Aaeru's stubbornness this time."

"Oh?"

"Once Aaeru knows the enemy has returned, she won't go willingly to the basement. She'll want to fight and destroy them, especially if she knows there's something that needs protected. Neviril will probably try to reason with her, but I don't think she'll listen. She's too hard headed," explained Paraietta.

"We could always try to force her down there."

"Even with her bad arm, I still think she'd be stubborn enough to break away. She'll want to be in the sky, and she'll do everything she can do get there. And if they do fly… we'll stand a better chance." Paraietta felt back thinking of it that way. She wanted her friends to face life or death so that the children could live.

"Are you sure she would, even with an injured arm? I'm sure Neviril could convince her if she had the time. Although…you are right about the situation. You and I can't defeat a whole army." Rodoreamon refused to believe that Aaeru would be so foolish.

"But we don't have the time, and Aaeru will want to fly. Part of me is glad for that because it means we'll have a chance to get rid of the Argentines. The other part of me hates that she would because she'll not only make her injury worse, but Neviril will be very unhappy with her."

"You seem to have Aaeru pretty figured out by now."

"I did a lot of thinking after those two left," was all Paraietta would say before knocking on the door of the infirmary.

Neviril answered the door. "Paraietta, Rodoreamon, what brings you here?"

Paraietta sighed. "I'm afraid something's happened. The-"

"Simoun are heading this way!" interrupted Aaeru from the window across the room. There was excitement readable in her features.

"What?" Neviril spun around, shock readable in her features. She then looked back to Paraietta. "They returned so soon!"

"It's true. Simoun are on their way back. We're not sure if they're patrolling or if the Argentines are following behind them. We've sent the children to the basement with the nursemaids. I'd like it if you two joined them." She put on the front, guilt filling her as her heart raced and hoped they wouldn't listen to her.

"But why?" Aaeru moved away from the window, standing by Neviril's side. She cocked her head to the side.

"Because even though we have a Simoun, the glass is damaged and your arm injury means you can't fly."

"It does not," retorted Aaeru stubbornly. "I can still fly."

Paraietta shook her head. "I can't let you risk further injury to yourself in order to save the orphans. I want you to stay put." In the far recesses of her mind, she knew she was fighting a losing battle.

"I agree," added Rodoreamon. "You can't put your life in danger when you aren't fully healed."

"So you're not going to either?" asked Aaeru, looking at Rodoreamon's arm.

"I'm not… It's not…"

Neviril laid a hand on Aaeru's good arm. "Aaeru, they just want us to be safe."

"But no one else can fly the Simoun. And if there are other Simoun and more Argentine soldiers, you know what will happen. They don't have a chance. We'll all be dead."

"That's not true!" replied Paraietta.

"How are you going to defend against Simoun and soldiers?" asked Aaeru calmly. "I'd rather die knowing I'd fought hard than sit and do nothing!"

Before Paraietta could provide an answer for that, Neviril spoke up. "I know what you want, Aaeru. I also know that you'll want to do it, no matter what any of us tell you. So if I tell you we'll go to the basement, you'll find a way to get me to fly with you. The sky is where you want to be, and I want to be there with you. Maybe we were sent here for that reason. Tempus Spatium knew what was happening."

Neither Rodoreamon nor Paraietta knew what had occurred to change Neviril's perspective so much. Then again, they each realized that they had no idea how long the two had been in the space-time continuum since they'd last been together as Sibyllae. Perhaps it had been much longer than they had expected.

"I knew you would," replied Aaeru, a grin on her face.

"Just promise me one thing." Neviril looked only at her pair, seeming to forget that the other two were in the room. Her eyes searched the younger girl's, hoping for some kind of confirmation.

"Hmm?"

"That you'll do your best to keep from hurting yourself even more. I want you to stay safe." Neviril smiled softly before kissing Aaeru gently.

"Promise. They won't get me again." She took Neviril's hand. "Let's go!" Aaeru pushed past Paraietta and Rodoreamon, who moved to get out of her way.

"I didn't expect that result so easily," commented Paraietta, looking into the hallway after them.

"I suppose they've changed, just as we have. I think each of them knows what kind of situation we're in and it was foolish to pretend otherwise."

Paraietta nodded. "We were doomed to die without any kind of force to fight back with. If we sent them to the basement, we were condemning them to their death. Still, it wouldn't have been right to force them to fight our battle from the start."

"Even for the children?"

"Even for them. If I could fly that Simoun, I would have. I would have rather it be me risking my life like that than those two. They're fighting for what I want, and all I can do is stand by and watch." The ground shook beneath the two, and both of them knew that the battle had begun. "We need the rifles. The least we can do is keep the Argentine forces from entering the orphanage to get the children." Paraietta briskly walked down the hall to retrieve the rifles from their storage case. She turned, intending to tell Rodoreamon to head for the basement. Then she remembered the home secretary's words from earlier and felt foolish for forgetting.

The two women positioned themselves in the foyer once more. Remnants of their last encounter were still there. Cleaning up after the battle had been the least of Paraietta's worries. She began moving closer, wanting to peek outside. Rodoreamon apparently had the same idea.

"Do you think… they're all right?" whispered Rodoreamon.

Paraietta pulled the door back and peeked outside. Smoke filled the air, but she was sure she could spot the pair's Simoun in the sky. Another explosion sounded, and then the Simoun disappeared behind a large grey cloud. She heard the execution of Ri Majon patterns and hoped that Aaeru was as good as she had been when Chor Tempest was still together. "We can't believe otherwise," she stated calmly. Rodoreamon's response was to bow her head in prayer.

Paraietta sighed heavily. Seeing Rodoreamon pray, she did the same, setting the rifle aside so that she could cross her arms across her chest. She began to pray. She prayed for the orphans hiding in the basement. She prayed for Aaeru and Neviril, prayed for their safety. She prayed for herself and Rodoreamon. She prayed that somehow, they'd make it through this day and all live to see the next morning.

A sense of calm washed over her body, and she felt more relaxed and at ease. Tempus Spatium seemed to be nearby. As she opened her eyes, she took up the rifle once more. Rodoreamon opened hers upon hearing the sound. Paraietta could see the hint of fear in her eyes, but said nothing. She was sure her own eyes reflected the same emotion.

Breathing deeply, she tapped her fingers against the barrel of the rifle, resting her back against the wall. All they could do now was wait and see what happened. Her heart beat quickly against her chest.

"Do you…hear that?" whispered Rodoreamon. The other woman tightened her grip around the rifle she held in her hands. It still seemed unbecoming to see someone as refined as the Home Secretary holding such a chaotic weapon.

Paraietta's head shot up as her ears searched for whatever Rodoreamon had heard. Perhaps it was only her imagination. Perhaps it was merely the wind, or the distance sounds of the battle. Her eyes widened as she realized that Rodoreamon hadn't been hearing things. She heard the crunch of boots on gravel. Her grip tightened around the rifle as she moved into position.

They hadn't been on the road for very long. The bumps were slightly jarring, but tolerable. The farmer was silent now. Laeni hadn't felt like talking, and so, after a few attempts, the farmer had stopped trying to get her to tell more than the very basics. Laeni preferred it this way.

Her eyes roamed the landscape. Everything seemed quiet and peaceful. As her eyes looked to the sky, she saw the birds once more. This time, however, they looked rather…odd. "What sort of birds are those?" she asked.

"Huh?" The farmer scratched his head as he looked to the sky. He squinted, trying to make out the shapes in the distance.

Laeni pointed. "Those over there."

"Those… aren't…" The farmer squinted. "They're Simoun. They patrol this area from time to time. Haven't you seen them before?"

Shaking her head, Laeni replied, "No." She wondered if the farmer knew of the attack on the orphanage. He didn't seem to. Her stomach suddenly felt queasy. They weren't too far from the orphanage, and maybe the Simoun were just on patrol, just as the farmer said. She had thought that someone would know about what had happened.

If she squinted, she could see the first signs of the orphanage in the distance. The outline of the stone wall greeted her, and she knew the children would be inside, probably eating the evening meal. It seemed appealing to her. The walled gate and… smoke. Smoke! Something wasn't right. "I don't think…"

There was a loud rumbling, and she felt shaken to her very core as the sound around her became louder. Something crashed into the ground nearby, and she registered it as dangerous far too late. Her arms flew to her face to feebly protect herself. Whatever had created the sound moments before exploded, and she was thrown from the cart. She felt a stinging pain against her backside, and pain elsewhere that she couldn't quite pinpoint. Things went from clear to fuzzy to darkness. And all around her, the sounds still reigned.


	10. Chapter 10

_Bang._

Rodoreamon squeezed her eyes shut as soon as she heard the sound and then the thud that followed. Her body shook in fear, and she could not move her hands, let alone get the rifle in a position to use it. _Paraietta… are you…dead?_ she wondered. She couldn't bear to look, but her curiosity tugged at her, and she had to know. She had to know if they were going to lose the orphanage to a group of barbaric men. She opened her eyes, gasping at what she saw.

In front of her stood Paraietta, rifle still slightly smoking. If Paraietta was still alive, then… she looked down. Her stomach churned at the sight of blood pooling from the Argentine soldier's face, or what was left of his face. She looked up, to rid herself of the sight, and found that Paraietta was spattered with the man's blood. Her finger rested on the trigger, squeezing it lightly. She pulled again.

_Bang._

Another thud to accompany this one. She felt like a child, experiencing death so close to her. Even as a Sibylla, death had been outside of her cockpit. Death had never been mere feet from where she was and she had never seen a fellow Sibylla kill in front of her eyes like this. It was…unreal. "Paraietta!" she shouted, tears rimming her eyes.

Paraietta turned to look at her, a coldness reverberating from her. Her eyes were cold, and she looked to the door once more. "I won't let them take the children," she growled, even if I have to kill each one that tries to enter!"

Something inside Paraietta had snapped. She was no longer the same calm and determined woman. She was determined, but also angry. "Paraietta…calm down…" She felt like she was fighting a losing battle. She received no answer.

_Bang. Bang._

Still, more thuds. She heard shots being fired in return, but her eyes were squeezed shut. "Rodoreamon, I need your help!" shouted Paraietta at the top of her lungs.

The previous encounter and the rifle entered her mind. She froze as the image played once more in her head. She could not bring herself to stand, couldn't bring herself to move. She was frozen, eyes looking to Paraietta's blood-spattered front. It wasn't… it wasn't right. What the Argentines wanted… what she knew should happen to them because of it… she couldn't make herself do it.

"Rodoreamon!"

_Tempus Spatium… I can't do this. I can't kill them. I can't. Please understand. I hope you will. I don't want to._ She shook, a death grip on the rifle now. She wondered how anyone could join the military, let alone kill someone. How did someone like Floef handle this? Did she even want to know? She wasn't sure she did.

"Rodo—"

_Bang._

Her eyes shot open and she found her friend gripping at her shoulder, trying to keep the blood from spilling out. Drops splashed onto the floor and she heard that gravel sound once more. She reacted without thinking. Immediately, she drew the rifle, ignoring the pain in her injured arm. When the head peeked in, she pulled the trigger, breathing heavily after the release. Realizing what she'd done, she immediately dropped the offending weapon. _I… I shot him… but…he was going for Paraietta…_

"Rodore…" whispered Paraietta as she fell shakily to her knees.

The older woman's fingers trembled around the wound, and her face was pale. Her eyes watched the door, but she was not capable of fighting any longer. Her mind had given in to the pain, and instead of fighting for the children, she could very well be fighting for her life if she lost too much blood.

A change came over Rodoreamon and she found herself capable of movement. She rushed to her friend's side, helping to steady her hand. "Paraietta, you need to get this taken care of. You're losing so much blood."

A creepy smile came across the woman's face. "It's all right. I did it for them. I—"

"Don't you dare say that!" Rodoreamon found herself raising her hand, and slapping the woman across the cheek. "You're not giving up!" 

"You're right…Rodore... Help me slow the bleeding." Paraietta gave her a half-smile.

Rodoreamon looked for something that would function as a makeshift band aid. All the while, her eyes stayed on the door, knowing that more soldiers could arrive at any moment. They would soon wonder what had happened to their fallen comrades. Frustrated at the lack of fabric to be found, she pulled at the sleeve on Paraietta's left side, tugging the material free from its tight stitching. She removed Paraietta's hand long enough to place the fabric over the wound. She stayed close to the woman, in case she needed to apply more pressure. It was all she could do for now. Later, someone would have to look at it. That is, if they survived this battle.

Her head shot up when she heard the distance crunching of gravel. Another small group of soldiers were heading in their direction, rifles raised. Rodoreamon knew she was in their line of fire, and if she moved for her own rifle, they'd kill her without a second thought.

Squinting her eyes shut, she whispered a soft prayer to Tempus Spatium. She didn't want to die, but at least she'd pray for guidance from this life into the life that awaited her beyond this world. Her arms went around Paraietta, who had seen the soldiers as well. This wasn't how she had wanted things to end. The children…what would happen to them? Her imagination ran away from her, and she began picturing the soldiers storming the building, ignoring the dead bodies of the two women, and snatching the children from the basement. They—

A low humming sound forced her to open her eyes and glance out the door. An eerie, yet strangely calming green light had settled over everything. All at once, Rodoreamon felt safely enveloped, yet nothing was wrapped around her. The green light crept inside, spreading like a beam of light.

"Do you feel it?" whispered Paraietta.

"You can feel it too? What is it?"

"It must be a Ri Majon of some kind. Either that or some weather phenomena. I've never seen a Ri Majon like this before. It's…completely different from the ones we used as Sibyllae."

"What if it's not a Ri Majon? It could be the Argentum soldiers using some secret weapon," pointed out Rodoreamon calmly. Though… what kind of secret weapon caused a person to feel this way?

"Something tells me it's not that."

Rodoreamon tried to look more closely. That was when she noticed the pinpoint of light in the distance. "Look…" she whispered, hand outstretched.

As she pointed, both women watched as the small pinpoint began to grow in size. It grew larger and closer, emitting beams of light in every direction as it did so. Rodoreamon raised her arm to cover her face; the light was much too bright to look at anymore. Her eyes squeezed tightly shut against the fabric, and part of her began to panic. Maybe it was a trap after all.

She felt a warm blast of air engulf her, and felt as though she were floating. Somewhere in the distance, a soft, tinkling tune played. All at once it seemed familiar and unfamiliar, like she'd heard it as a child, but had forgotten it as time had passed. For a brief moment, she felt something wrap around her body and disappear. Just as quickly as the blast had come, it was gone. The disappearance of the warm air made the environment seem cooler. Shivering slightly, Rodoreamon opened her eyes and gasped.

Looking outside, she saw nothing. There were no longer any soldiers bearing down on them. Instead, the soldiers were sprawled mere feet away from the door. There seemed to be no blood, no sign of a wound upon their bodies. It appeared as though they were sleeping, having fallen asleep in the middle of battle. Rodoreamon rose to her feet and stepped just outside the doorframe. Machinery had simply collapsed in place, and various tanks were still smoking. More soldiers lined the area, though just as before, there were no marks on them.

She turned to Paraietta, who was just as surprised as she was. The other woman had risen to her feet, hand still holding the fabric scrap to her wound. She moved forward, trying to get a better look of the area.

"What happened?" asked Rodoreamon softly.

"If that was a Ri Majon… then it's like nothing I've ever seen before. No Ri Majon is this powerful. How could one destroy all of this in one blow?" She gestured to the landscape.

Suddenly, it dawned on Rodoreamon. "Where are Aaeru and Neviril?" Panic seized her, and she searched the battlefield, wondering if their Simoun had been downed. She raced forward, eyes darting back and forth.

"Rodoreamon! Wait! It could be dangerous! It could be a trap!" shouted Paraietta. She tried to catch up with the Home Secretary, but winced. The jarring motion angered her injury.

"We have to find them!" A noise from above caught her attention. She glanced up, knowing from the shape and size that it was a Simoun, but she wasn't yet sure if it was Aaeru and Neviril's. Its flight path was erratic, weaving back and forth in the sky. It appeared to attempt to be landing, but was having a difficult time doing so.

"Something's wrong," stated Paraietta.

The Simoun settled ungracefully on the ground, sliding a few feet forward. It sent plumes of dust into the air, and both women covered their eyes. When the dust cleared, they saw how badly battered the craft was. Part of the glass was completely missing from the auriga cockpit, and the sagitta cockpit glass was cracked. Bits and pieces of the wings were missing, and the communication cable hung limply from the side. The auriga was slumped over, not moving. The sagitta cockpit was soon flung open.

"Neviril, what—" began Rodoreamon.

"Aaeru! Something's wrong with Aaeru!" she shouted. The distraught sagitta quickly climbed down to the auriga cockpit, shaking hands fumbling with the latch.

It was then that both women noticed the shards of glass poking from the maiden's arm, the same arm that she had injured previously. Tiny cuts lined the right side of her face, and blood trickled down from behind her ear and just beneath her hairline. Neviril flung open the hatch, and the rest of the glass cracked and shattered, falling to the ground. She placed her fingers against Aaeru's neck, searching for a pulse.

Neviril breathed a sigh of relief. "She's breathing… but it's labored. If we don't act now, she'll die." The words were eerily calm.

"Let me help you, Neviril," suggested Rodoreamon, climbing up the Simoun. She carefully took hold of Aaeru's right side, and Neviril took the left. Rodoreamon was careful to not put as much weight on her right arm. Together, they gently eased the girl to the ground. Rodoreamon fought the urge to pull away from the girl.

"I'll get a few of the nursemaids to assist," offered Paraietta as she made her way back to the orphanage.

Neviril fell to her knees beside her beloved, and simply watched over her. Tentatively, she took Aaeru's hand in her own, and held it gently. Rodoreamon wanted to offer condolence, but it somehow felt out of place. She stood quietly, hoping that Paraietta would return with help soon. Aaeru couldn't die, not after all that she'd done. Tempus Spatium wouldn't allow it…or would it?

Laeni groaned, awakening. Her body ached all over, and in her grogginess she had no idea why she was looking up at an open sky. She sat up slowly, holding her head as she did so. Her head throbbed, just as her body did. She caught sight of tiny cuts and bruises on her arms and legs, and that was when she saw the farmer…or what was left of him. Part of the horse lay at his feet, damaged nearly beyond recognition. She didn't know where the rest was. Boards from the cart lay scattered about all around them.

Memories of the events before the blast came back to her, and she realized they'd been hit with some kind of missile. "Hey… hey wake up!" she shouted, hoping that the man would somehow still be alive, even though he was missing his arm, and had a large gash across his stomach. "W-wake up…"

It was then that her surroundings became bathed in a soft green glow. She felt warm, and safe. Part of her wanted to sleep, but she kept her eyes open, searching for the source. She couldn't seem to find one. Everywhere she looked, she found green. She wondered if she had actually died too, and just didn't realize it. Maybe this was what happened right before she went to heaven.

Her eyes focused on a pinpoint of light that appeared in the distance. It must be the source. Slowly, it grew bigger, and spread. She smiled softly as the light came toward her. If she were dead… she could see her parents again. "Mama… Papa…" she whispered softly as the light engulfed her body. She closed her eyes, unable to stand the brightness any longer.

Laeni found that she was still conscious inside of the bright light. She still felt calm and at peace. Something wrapped around her body, and she would later tell herself that she had been held, just as her mother had done when she was a little girl. "Mama?" she whispered softly. A tune was sung in the background, a beautiful and pure tune that had no words that she recognized. It all seemed familiar to her, lulling her gently.

After some time, the bright light faded, and Laeni saw her surroundings once more. It was eerily quiet, and she rose to her feet, a bit unsteady. She didn't hear the sounds of a battle in the distance. She wondered if she should stay put, but realized that she was in the open. The cart had been shattered, and both horse and farmer were dead. It was just as dangerous to stay here as it was to continue to the orphanage.

She began moving forward, slowly stepping. Her legs still felt weak. It couldn't be much farther to the orphanage, and maybe if she was lucky she could avoid the next attack. She glanced behind her once more, burning the image of the farmer, cart, and horse in her mind. She had been wrong, and she'd realized it too late.


	11. Chapter 11

Rodoreamon stood at her window, watching the horizon beyond. The sun was beginning to set, and she would soon put aside her paperwork to visit Neviril. She had returned home shortly after the attack, bringing Aaeru and Neviril with her. The night before they had left the orphanage had been a long one. Aaeru had been in critical condition, and the nursemaids attending to her did not possess the knowledge or skill to care for her. This time, Rodoreamon had made sure contact was made in the village and passage arranged for the three of them. Her contacts had helped to transport the three of them without being noticed by public eye.

Once home, she took charge of the situation, ordering the finest surgeons she could hire secretly to care for the fallen maiden. Others were sent to the orphanage to take care of the Simoun. She trusted her built network to follow her given instructions and then some. As Home Secretary, she'd learned a few tricks of the trade, and wasn't afraid to use them to her advantage when it direly counted.

While she had taken care of that, Paraietta had worked to make sure the children were properly cared for after the attack. Once again, no one was harmed, but she still had to make sure. Laeni had been found wandering toward the orphanage in a daze. She had collapsed in Paraietta's arms and passed out. When the girl finally awoke and spoke to Paraietta, everyone had been shocked to learn of the farmer's death. It had thrown a twist into everything else.

A knock at her door interrupted her thoughts. "Yes?"

One of her servants entered, bowing before her. "I'm sorry to interrupt but this message was just received. I'm delivering it per your request."

"Leave it on my desk." She did not turn to address the servant or move to take the letter when she heard it placed upon her desk. "Is that all?"

"Yes ma'am." He bowed once more to Rodoreamon's backside before exiting the room.

Rodoreamon waited until the door had closed behind her before she turned around. She picked up the sealed manila envelope and looked it over. There was no sign of a sender's signature on the front. She flipped it over and, taking a letter opener, broke the seal. She slid the enclosed paper from the envelope. Studying the handwriting, she knew at once it was from Paraietta. She had written to inform Rodoreamon of an update regarding the orphanage and how things had progressed since she had left. No further attacks had been made, and no further information was to be gathered from Laeni. The girl appeared to be too traumatized by what she had seen, but they had discovered the remains of the farmer nearby, just as she had mentioned. Paraietta asked that Rodoreamon see about getting information on the Ri Majon used when she could so that perhaps they could look into it and discover if it had ever been used somewhere in the history of Simulacrum. She had signed her name, and added a post script at the very end that stated not to overwork herself.

Smiling, Rodoreamon placed the letter inside the middle desk drawer, tucking it beneath some other personal mementos. She would reread it again later. Knowing that she wouldn't finish any more paperwork for today, she straightened up her desk, organizing the papers by the attention they required. Tomorrow was another day, after all. She had other important matters to attend to before the night was over.

Her footsteps echoed down the empty hallway as she made her way to the living quarters upstairs. Many rooms lined the hall, but she sought out the room next to her own. She had requested that Aaeru be placed here instead of in the room that served as a temporary infirmary. It was stark and unfriendly compared to a guest room. Rodoreamon knocked softly; she felt it rude to enter without the occupants within knowing. Deep down, she hoped that there had been some change in Aaeru, that maybe she had woken up.

She was bidden to enter and slowly pushed open the door. Neviril sat on the edge of Aaeru's bed, eyes focused on the girl. Rodoreamon knew that if anything happened to Aaeru, Neviril would have difficulty recovering. She recalled what it was like for the girl to recover from Amuria's death. "How is she?" she asked softly.

"She's not woken up. I thought she was going to a few times, but she merely groaned. The doctor says she's stable, but he's not sure if this coma she's slipped into will last for long. I thought the groaning might be a sign that she'd wake soon." Neviril spoke calmly, never taking her eyes off her love.

"Aaeru's strong willed. She wouldn't die like this, not so easily." Rodoreamon feared she wasn't very good with offering condolences.

Neviril looked at her, a sad smile on her face. "Aaeru told me that once." She didn't offer any further explanation, and Rodoreamon didn't press for any.

Rodoraemon glanced to the bedside table where a tray of bread and soup rested, untouched. "Have you eaten much?"

"I haven't felt like eating."

"Aaeru wouldn't like it if you didn't take care of yourself. Come. I want you to eat and wash up properly." She reached for Neviril's arm, taking hold of it gently. When she felt hesitation, she added, "It's what she'd want you to do. She needs you to be strong for her."

She led the girl to the dining room and sat her down. Dinner would be served soon, and they could both eat. Until then, they had time between them. Rodoreamon wanted to ask about the Ri Majon, but didn't. It wouldn't be right to just yet. "It's been a long time, hasn't it?" she stated softly. "The last we saw of you two seems so long ago, but it's only been five years."

"Time passes differently for Aaeru and I. After we completed the Emerald, we started going from world to world. We had no control over where we went at first, but we can control it sometimes now. I can't say how long it's been since we did the Emerald that very first time. It's simply been a long time."

"So it's possible to control such a powerful Ri Majon?"

"It is, but it takes a lot of focus. It seems like Aaeru and I think as one when we complete it. The times when we choose when to leave a place have increased."

"What's it like seeing all the worlds? Are there really others out there?" Rodoreamon found herself full of questions. There was so much she wanted to know, and yet, only so much she could ask.

"We've seen worlds like our own, and worlds that are very different. Some have very advanced technology I've never seen before. Others lack even the basic technology we have in Simulacrum. We've even been to earlier times in Simulacrum. We—"

It was at that moment that dinner was brought to the two women by the servants. Silence grew between them as they each settled in for the meal. Neviril had at least been willing to easily talk about where the two had been. Rodoreamon hoped there would be a time where she could ask about the Ri Majon. She whispered a prayer of thanks for the food before beginning her meal. As she ate, she kept an eye on Neviril, who slowly picked at her food. She at least ate, which relieved Rodoreamon.

An interesting thought came to mind as she ate. If Neviril and Aaeru didn't always choose when they left a place, was there a chance they would disappear before Aaeru was healed completely? This was troubling, and she tucked the thought away, keeping it as information to tell Paraietta. With everything else that had gone on, she had forgotten that the effects of the Emerald were just as unknown.

Neviril was more than happy to return to Aaeru's bedside after the meal was finished. Rodoreamon watched her go, knowing that she wanted to be there in case the girl woke up. It was definitely a far cry from the interaction between the two when Aaeru had first joined Chor Tempest. Rodoreamon sat for a few moments at the table as the servants cleared the meal around her.

It wasn't long before she rose to her feet, and began walking softly down the hallway. She climbed the spiral staircase that would take her to the uppermost floor. It was on this floor that the private collections and documents were kept for her family. She pulled a brass key from her pocket, and inserted it into the keyhole of the door at the top of the stairs. With a half-turn the lock clicked open, and she slipped inside, locking the door behind her.

She crossed through the first two rooms, as they were not of concern on this night. It was the third room, the largest one, that she sought. This was the family library, containing books from many generations of her family. She wasn't quite sure how far it dated back; her father had never told her a specific date. The library wasn't a place that she'd often browsed as a child. The books had not interested her, though she was privately tutored in matters of Simulacran history. Her interest in books had not occurred until after she had trained at the academy.

Access to the family library had been something she had inherited upon returning home. The Lord and Lady had retired from such a large residence and chosen to move to a smaller, yet still quite elaborate, location. Rodoreamon had moved her duties as Home Secretary into the manor, and chosen to care for the family estate as those who came before her had.

Making her way across the tiled floor, she sought out the large oaken table in the center of the room. Upon it was a pile of books she'd pulled from the section that held the earliest set of books collected. Books in the library were organized by time period, and then by author, if known. There was no way to search by subject, and this made her task all the more difficult. She would have to search blindly to find the information she sought, if it was nestled in the library at all. Until she was able to speak with Neviril and Aaeru, this would have to do.

As she sat down, she ran her fingers over the leather tomes she had already piled on the table. With a glance, some were easily to dismiss as being unusable in her search. Things such as the tome on flora and fauna or gardening techniques in the southern region of the country were no help. Her finger idly moved to turn on the lamp, and she settled in to research.

Rodoreamon's eyes grew heavy as she closed the last book in her stack. She'd lost track of time, but knew it must be getting quite late by now. Once again, her search had not turned up anything of value. She had thought she might have found something when she discovered a book on the first Simoun and their mechanical workings, but nothing was ever mentioned about a Ri Majon from what she could tell.

Once more she descended the stairs, locking the door behind her. She listened to the silence in the hallway, treading softly. The large clock that stood nearby told her it was nearly midnight, and that she should be getting to bed if she were to rise early tomorrow.

"Lady Rodoreamon," called a soft voice behind her. She it was one of the servants, based on how he addressed her.

"Yes?" she asked, turning around.

"Your guest was searching for you earlier."

Had Aaeru woken up? "Did she say why?"

"No m'Lady." He shook his head to emphasize his point.

"Thank you. I'll go see her now." Without another word, she headed toward Aaeru's room. Her pace had hastened a bit, anxious to know what Neviril had wanted.

She knocked softly, but heard no reply. When no reply came after a second knock, she opened the door quietly. The room was dark, save for the moonlight that streamed in through the open window. Neviril was curled up on Aaeru's left side, where she'd been least injured. The girl appeared to be shivering slightly and Rodoreamon moved to the foot of the bed, removing a spare blanket from atop the chest. She covered Neviril lightly with it, and that was when she noticed the dried tears and red splotches upon her face.

"Be strong, Neviril. She'll pull through for you," whispered Rodoreamon before she turned and left.

Preparing for bed, Rodoreamon released the ribbon that held the bun together atop her head. Her hair cascaded across her shoulders, and she began to brush it, letting the repetitive motion relax her. The key to knowing where to begin with the Ri Majon lay within those two. She sighed, knowing that she should still be worried about the Argentine soldiers. There hadn't been word of another attack from her contacts, but there was always the possibility she wouldn't be informed in time.

And on top of all this, there were still her regular duties as Home Secretary to perform. Perhaps it wasn't the wisest of decisions to stretch her mind and body in so many directions, but it seemed to her to be the right decision. No one ever said that the right decision was always wise. She would trust her gut instinct and pray that Tempus Spatium would guide her in the right direction.

She sat nervously in Paraietta's office, waiting for the woman to appear. One of the nursemaids had told her she was to meet with the head of the orphanage as soon as the lunch hour was over. She had kept to herself since the attack and since… he was killed. She didn't want to talk about it, no matter who asked her. She refused to play with the younger children, and simply walked away. Was she going to be reprimanded for that?

Behind her, the door opened and closed. She heard the shuffling of papers and caught sight of Paraietta out of the corner of her eye. The woman smiled softly at her, but Laeni looked down at her lap instead. Sighing, Paraietta sat across from her, placing the folder in front of her. "You're not in any trouble, Laeni. That's not what I've called you in here for."

A sigh of relief crossed her lips. At least she didn't have to talk about the events. "What then?"

Paraietta looked down at the papers in her hand. "According to the data given to us when you were brought here, tomorrow is your seventeenth birthday. Under Simulacran law, you are to journey to the Spring to choose your gender. After doing so, you are able to stay with us for one more month. This allows you to find a suitable place to live and a job. You'll be given a small allowance upon your departure to help you out financially, but I'm afraid you cannot stay here any longer than that."

Laeni looked up, knowing that Paraietta was citing the speech from memory. She'd forgotten about her birthday being so close. It had been the least of her worries recently. Now, she would have to choose and soon. Anger built inside her of. "But!"

"I'm sorry Laeni. It's the law, and that's not something I can change. I would love to let you stay longer, but you must choose. The only exception would have been Sibyllae in a time of war. Everyone else must choose." She could see the bit of anger in the girl's eyes. "You'll leave for the Spring tomorrow. One of the nursemaids will accompany you."

Without another word, Laeni stood and walked out. The door slammed behind her, and Paraietta didn't blame her. She only hoped that the girl would be rational this time, and not run away again. She was certain that Laeni would not make the same mistake twice.

"I'm just making a cameo appearance in this here video to appease my freakishly over-obsessed fanbase, mmmkay?"

"I'd be mighty thankful if ya'll didn't talk about the doctor like that 'cause the doctor's my MOTHER, mmmkay?"


	12. Chapter 12

Her body woke as the sun was rising. It was nearly time for her alarm to sound, but her internal clock tended to wake her a few minutes before it was due to go off. It was only six in the morning, and very few would be stirring at this hour. The servants would already be up and preparing for their duties. The kitchen staff would already be preparing a hot breakfast to be served within the hour. It would be time to return to the office before she knew it.

As she dressed and prepared for the day, her mind wondered about the guests in her house, and how they had fared the night. Aaeru must not have woken yet; surely if she had Neviril would have come to get her. Her eyes glanced over at the wall, knowing that it was the only thing separating the two rooms. She sighed and focused on the tasks at hand. There would be time to dwell in thought later. She had many meetings to attend to that day. As much as she wanted to spend time with her friends, she knew that she could not fall behind in her work. Someone would find her if Aaeru woke.

Once she was in her office, routine kicked in and she was presented with her visitors for the day. The meetings began, as did the back and forth debate for funding. Now, more than ever, the orphanage needed funding to repair what damage had been caused by the Argentines. Those in charge, however, refused to hand over very much. Instead, they preferred to route their money for the war effort. This always infuriated Rodoreamon, for if there were no children to lead, there would be no future. By lunch time, she could feel a migraine in above her eyes and sought relief. Her last guest left the room, closing the door behind him. She sighed and then stood, stretching.

Needing a break from her work routine, she stepped into the hallway. She would check on Neviril, and make sure the girl was doing all right. Neviril kept so much inside that it was hard to tell what she was truly feeling. The last thing Rodoreamon wanted was for her to become completely depressed over Aaeru, especially if something should happen to the girl. She stopped outside of the room, and knocked gently, seeking permission to enter. No one called back, and she thought perhaps Neviril had gone to sleep. She turned the knob gently.

The sight before her caused her to jump in surprise. She placed a hand to her chest to still her heart. A blonde head turned groggily toward her, confusion readable on her features. Neviril was nowhere to be found, which meant she may have been in the dining room or elsewhere in the manor. Rodoreamon knew she should go and get her, but she also couldn't leave the other one confused.

"Aaeru…you're awake," spoke Rodoreamon softly. She moved closer to the bed, smiling softly. She was more relieved than anything that Aaeru had not been fighting a battle meant for her and Paraietta.

"Where am I? How long have I been out for?" Aaeru raised a finger to scratch the side of her cheek. She itched at the bandages that still covered parts of her face. She didn't seem too confused, regardless of her questions.

"I brought you back to my home, along with Neviril. You've been out ever since the last battle with the Argentines, which was nearly a week ago. Everyone's been worried about you. We weren't sure if you'd make it through after the injuries you'd received."

A hint of a grin played across her face. "Something like that wouldn't kill me," she asserted confidently. Her grin immediately turned into a slight frown, as though what she had said was wrong in some fashion.

"Neviril mentioned that. You know, she's been by your side the entire time. She's been very worried about you." Rodoreamon sat on the edge of the bed, situating herself while trying not to disturb Aaeru.

Aaeru seemed to be remembering something, but she made no comment about what was on her mind. Rodoreamon didn't ask. "Where is she now?"

"I think she may have gone to get something to eat. I'll go find her for you, and send her up. I'm sure she'll be relieved to hear the news." Rodoreamon rose and began to leave.

"Wait—" called Aaeru softly.

"Hmm?"

"Was Neviril… all right? I mean, while I was out?"

Rodoreamon had to admit that she'd never heard Aaeru so worried before. She had to wonder if something like this was a common occurrence, or at least, a common fear of Neviril's. Remembering what she had seen at the orphanage, she had to go with the latter. "She was very worried about you. She's hardly left your side except for the times I've asked her to eat. She really loves you."

A playful grin spread across Aaeru's face, and Rodoreamon could see the hint of a blush there as well. "Yeah…"

It was hard not to laugh at Aaeru's expression, and Rodoreamon did her best to wait until she had turned away from the girl to do so. She pulled the door closed behind her and turned to head for the dining room. She was met by another person, the force of which pushed her back. In her surprise, she looked to see who hadn't been paying attention, and found Neviril looking sheepish.

"I'm sorry, Rodoreamon. I wasn't watching where I was going." Neviril bowed in apology.

"It's fine. I was looking for you anyway. Aaeru's awake."

A series of emotions crossed Neviril's face, but it was relief that showed in the end. She quickly turned to the door and reached for it. "I'm sorry, but I must go," she said over her shoulder as she slipped inside. It was completely uncharacteristic for the usually composed and proper girl, but Rodoreamon knew it was a special occasion. She chuckled to herself before continuing to the dining area. After all, she needed to eat before returning to work.

The days passed without much excitement. Rodoreamon watched from a distance as Neviril and Aaeru spent time together. Even though Aaeru was awake, she was still bound to her bed for a time period until the doctor said otherwise. It was amusing to catch her trying to convince Neviril to let her out. She wasn't used to being confined like this. Neviril had to remind her that it had been her decision to fly the second time. Since Aaeru was out of danger, it was easier for the two to argue playfully. Had the situation been grimmer, Rodoreamon knew the argument might have been rather different.

Every now and then, she'd check on them, just to be sure that everything was all right, and that they truly were still there. Sometimes she was sure she was dreaming they were, but no, her eyes were not deceiving her. She stayed away for the most part, not wanting to interrupt their time together. There would be time later for her to speak with them at length.

As the pair reconnected, she continued to focus on her duties as Home Secretary. Some nights she stayed much later than usual and other nights were spent in the library, searching for information on the Ri Majon that the girls had used. She still had not asked them how it had been accomplished, or what they knew about it. She felt that at that present point, it was best for Aaeru to heal.

Searching through the many tomes was quite a bit of work. Since she wasn't quite sure what she was looking for, she didn't have much of a system. She had barely touched many of the earliest histories of Simulacrum. Sometimes, to keep herself from becoming bored, she began looking through books that focused solely on Simoun technology. Unfortunately, she only seemed to come across Ri Majons that were already well known and that she had used as a Sibylla. Sometimes there were mentions or hints to the Emerald Ri Majon, but absolutely nothing when it came to the new Ri Majon.

Part of her wished that there would be some kind of sign, or that she would stumble upon the answer. She wasn't sure how long she could continue to play the role of researcher without finding any kind of clue. She knew that while she was curious, she was beginning to lose her drive. Rodoreamon hoped that she would soon be able to speak with Aaeru and Neviril.

The next morning, she began looking into reports on the orphanage. It was her special project, and she wanted to make sure things were taken care of. There was still no further word on budget increases, nor word on the attack on the orphanage. It appeared as though the officials wanted to cover up the news of the attack, as though it had never happened. It sent a clear message to Rodoreamon: We do not care for parentless children. Just thinking of it made her blood boil, and she had to set the reports aside and take a few deep breaths before she could continue.

Eventually the reports were set aside for reports on the news of the war. She first checked the local newspaper, but it did not give her any information she didn't know. The citizens of Simulacrum were only told news that made the war out to be better than it actually was. It was a way to keep the citizens peaceful and unaware of the situation that surrounded them. She traded the newspapers for the frontline reports she had received early that morning. She became caught up in reading about the possibility of a new type of weaponry the Argentines were developing. It was too early to tell, but it was rumored to be twice as powerful as the typical missile launched from their aircraft.

A knock on the door brought her back to the present. She took the report that she had and placed it inside her desk drawer. She then folded her hands neatly and rested them atop her desk, trying to focus on giving herself a calm and cool appearance. "Yes?"

The door cracked open and a head peeked inside. "Are you free for a visit?" The woman cracked a smile.

"Paraietta! I wasn't expecting you anytime soon. You usually don't venture here." Rodoreamon returned the smile, gesturing to a chair in front of her desk. She thought that Paraietta would have preferred staying at the orphanage after everything else that had occurred. She wasn't going to mention that though; it was rare she received guests that were friends and companions. Mentally she made a note to work harder later.

"I'm aware. I wanted to check on Neviril and Aaeru though."

"They're doing well. Aaeru actually woke up a little over a week ago. I sent it to you in a message. Did you not receive it?"

"I did not. I wasn't aware that she was even awake."

Paraietta's answer did not give her any sort of relief. Rodoreamon was confused. She was certain that she had sent the message to Paraietta, and even more certain that it had taken by a seasoned messenger. She was glad that the only note she had included had been about her friends; had it been something else, there could have been follow through. Worse yet, the messages might have been traced back to her. They still could be. She made another mental note to get in touch with her contacts and see what had gone wrong. There wasn't room for failure. "Mmm… she is. She's making a full recovery from what the doctor reports, and she's acting like her old self. Neviril is very relieved, but I don't see how she puts up with Aaeru sometimes."

"I think we all wondered that as young girls…but I think part of me realized that Aaeru was meant for her after the maaju pool duel. I just didn't want to believe it completely." There was a faraway look in Paraietta's eyes as she recalled that particular incident.

"Did you want to visit with the two of them?"

"I had wanted to check on them, and see if we could discuss what occurred during that last battle. I want to know what that Ri Majon was that they used."

"I'd like to know that myself. I've spent time in the evenings researching in the library, but I've not made very much progress. There's simply nothing in the older tomes that indicate the presence of a Ri Majon that creates that color of light trail and mass destruction only of particular objects and people."

"That's the part that interests me as well. How did the Ri Majon only destroy the Argentines and their military craft when everything was covered in that light?" Paraietta echoed Rodoreamon's thoughts. Discussing the phenomenon only made each of them more curious.

"Do you think those two would be able to answer any of our questions?" posed Rodoreamon.

"Maybe, and then again, maybe not. They might be able to give you another angle to research from though. It may be something entirely new, or it may be something they've encountered on their travels through time and space."

Resting her chin atop her hands, Rodoreamon considered this. Paraietta could very well be correct. Since the aftermath of the battle had been chaotic and worrisome, there had been no time to stop and see. She knew it was time. She nodded. "Let's go see them. I have a feeling that they won't mind telling us their point of view." She rose and headed for the door, Paraietta following behind her.

She hadn't known what to make of her visit to the Spring at the time. It had been a few days, and though she had made the choice, it seemed unreal. She recalled the helical train ride and the ceremony. It was such a simple, ordinary event, yet it received so much hype. The decision to be made was important, but still. The otherworldly music that had sounded in her mind as the guardian beckoned her to wade further. All too unreal. So unreal that she had trouble referring to herself as a himself. _My name is Laenif. I'm a male. I'm no longer a girl._ It was a bit of mantra to repeat, meant to pound in the actual meaning of the decision made at the Spring.

Paraietta had smiled and congratulated him when he had returned with the nurse maid. In an effort to convince himself, he had immediately sought out a barber to trim his hair. It was cut close to his head. He hadn't wanted to wait until he started developing in other areas to cut it. It was better to simply get it over with. Short hair was harder to get used to than Laenif had expected. The first difference was the weight of it; his head felt much lighter now. There was also the fact that it changed his whole appearance. Looking in the mirror, he saw a different person though, and couldn't believe that it was really him.

Laenif had less than a month now to figure things out. What was he going to do with his life? As a male, he had many opportunities for a career. It was all a matter of figuring out which one best suited him. He hadn't ventured into the village to see what he could find. He had no motivation or desire to do so. He had already chosen his gender without being given much time, and now he was expected to find some kind of livelihood to support himself.

He rose from his bed and dressed. He didn't mind being around the children, but he couldn't make a living here. He knew that Paraietta already had more than enough help, and did not need any extra hands. Becoming a farmer was another option, but he was not fond of the all the work that accompanied tending to a field from planting preparation until the end of the harvest season. The only benefit it had was that it provided an extra source of food outside of the market place. Where did that leave him though?

As he passed his window, he glanced outside. Scars from the Argentine attack were still very much visible. Holes and craters pock marked the land. Extra supervision had to be given to the children in case they found empty bullet shells. War could happen anywhere, even if you thought you were safe. He moved on, closing the door behind him. There were decisions that needed to be made.


	13. Chapter 13

"The Ri Majon?" asked Neviril.

"Yes," replied Rodoreamon, nodding. "We've never seen it before, and neither of us remember it from our Sibyllae days. She felt much like an eager young girl, waiting impatiently for a long wished for gift.

She sat on the edge of the bed while Paraietta sat nearby in a chair she'd pulled to the bedside. Neviril sat directly opposite the two women on the edge of the bed while Aaeru sat next to her, cross legged.

"To be honest, I never saw it in any book I read when I was a Sibylla. I studied many texts, but nowhere near as many as Limone."

"Then how did you perform such a Ri Majon without ever knowing it existed?"

Neviril looked to Aaeru, giving the girl the cue to speak so that she wasn't the only one talking. The girl stared back at her blankly for a few moments before getting the point. She turned to her friends. "It was different for each of us, I think. They were tougher than I remember, and it was harder being the only Sibyllae versus all of them. We got them in the end though!" She grinned, putting her hands behind her hand.

She received an elbow to the side from Neviril. "That's not all and you know it."

Aaeru rubbed her side. "I know, I know."

Both Paraietta and Rodoreamon tried to hide their amusement behind their hands. It wasn't dignified for either of them to laugh, but such amusement was needed against all the negative that had happened recently.

"I don't remember all of it. Some parts are blurry in my head. I just know that they started to overtake us. We couldn't make Ri Majons quick enough to do more than a little bit of damage. We didn't have any other Sibyllae to do more powerful formations with." She paused, thinking carefully through her next words, trying to remember as best as she could. "I remember them hitting the side of the Simoun. That's when the glass began to crack. I wanted to do something, but I didn't know what. Everything we had done up until that point hadn't done much damage."

"And the new Ri Majon works into this?"

Aaeru nodded. "Yeah. I just remember thinking that we needed something more as the glass was cracking. I didn't want to lose to those soldiers. And then it was kinda like someone was speaking to me in my head."

"If you can't remember everything, are you sure it wasn't Neviril speaking to you?" asked Paraietta, a look of doubt crossing her face.

"It wasn't. It didn't sound like her. It was a voice that I'd never heard before. I don't know how to describe it," explained Aaeru, scrunching up her face. "All I heard was 'Divine Blessing' over and over again. It was like I knew it was a Ri Majon. I told Neviril so and she knew what I was thinking. I remember helping set the Simoun up… and then that's it." She shrugged and grinned. "Neviril can tell the rest of the story."

"Like Aaeru said, it was a hard encounter." The word "battle" was still not a word she'd used to discuss the war and facing the enemy soldiers. "I thought we were going to die so I prayed to Tempus Spatium to guide us. And then I heard it in my head, those same words. I thought it was Tempus Spatium talking to me. I remember Aaeru speaking to me and then I knew we had to do it." She shifted on the bed, moving closer to Aaeru, smiling at the girl.

"So it was just something that you both…heard?" asked Rodoreamon. She had never heard of Sibyllae discovering Ri Majon that way. Had she been reading the wrong books? Surely those two weren't the first to discover a Ri Majon that way. Why couldn't she remember?

"Right. I just heard it in my head," replied Aaeru.

"Anyway, Aaeru set up for the Ri Majon and I completed it. I could hear the humming of the Simoun gem and see the bright flash. Though I had never performed it before, or even knew what it was supposed to look like, I painted it across the sky. It looped back and forth many times. When it activated, all I heard was the sound of glass breaking, but then I felt calm and peaceful as I watched the green light envelope everything around the Simoun. When it cleared… all the Argentine soldiers were gone, simply vanished."

"And that's how we defeated the Argentine soldiers," finished Aaeru, summing it all up nicely.

"I wonder if this Ri Majon has been used before?" wondered Paraietta. "Perhaps it was never even recorded?"

"Without looking and researching again, I couldn't say," Neviril replied truthfully.

"So not only is it a new Ri Majon, but it acts differently too," stated Rodoreamon, repositioning herself. "It gave off a green light, rather than the blue, and it destroyed all the Argentine soldiers, but left their tanks and everything else behind. That's never happened before."

"Right. Usually the force of a Ri Majon destroys everything in its path," agreed Paraietta. "If that were the case, the orphanage would have been razed as well. This one only destroyed the soldiers, the enemy."

"What does it all mean?" asked Rodoreamon.

"That Tempus Spatium was watching over us," whispered Neviril softly. Beside her, Aaeru shifted uncomfortably, not saying a word. Everyone knew she would not agree, but this time she kept it to herself.

Rodoreamon broke the silence. "At the very least, you two saved us, and the children as well. You risked your lives for a cause, and we are very grateful to you both."

Paraietta nodded in agreement. "I can't express how glad I am that the children were not killed. I would have never forgiven myself if I could not have protected them."

"I am sure that you'll want to travel soon, won't you?" asked Rodoreamon, changing the subject. She knew that her friends would not be able to stay around forever. They were eternal maidens, after all.

"We'd like to, yes," agreed Neviril. "As soon as Aaeru is considered healed, we would like to continue traveling. We have learned a lot so far, but there are still many things we do not know, both about ourselves and the worlds around us."

"Is the Simoun repaired? Neviril said it was pretty banged up after the last battle." Aaeru grinned sheepishly when Neviril glared at her. "I want to fly again. I miss being in the sky." She looked toward the window.

"Thankfully, Wapourif and Morinas have been able to journey to the orphanage in their spare time and repair the damages. For a few days, they were uncertain if they'd find new glass to replace the auriga cockpit," explained Paraietta. "I often kept track of their children while they worked."

"So they did end up together!" exclaimed Aaeru.

Laughing, Rodoreamon nodded. "They did. They have two children now. Wapourif still repairs Simoun, and Morinas works on the loading docks."

"What are the others up to?" asked Neviril, curious.

"After everything that's happened, it's easy to forget that you two haven't been living in this time period. Who should we start with?"

"Floef!" called Aaeru. "What's he been up to?"

"Well, before he was called to fight in the war, he was looking for a bride…" began Paraietta.

It was nearly evening when Paraietta and Rodoreamon left the eternal maidens. Both women wore smiles on their faces as they walked back to Rodoreamon's office.

"It's been a long time since I've felt like such a young girl," remarked Rodoreamon.

"We never did such things as Sibyllae. We were just priestesses who happened to be thrown into the war. We didn't think of much beyond ourselves. I guess when you're faced with a fight or die mentality at such a young age, you only focus on what's important to you."

"Perhaps. Do you ever wonder what it would have been like if we had bonded instead of stayed in our own little groups?"

Paraietta considered this thoughtfully for a moment. It wasn't something she'd ever thought of before. "I'm sure it wouldn't have taken us as long to come together as a Chor. We were so weak after we lost Amuria and some of our other priestesses. If we had come together sooner, we probably would have been on day patrol much more quickly. Then again…" she trailed off.

"There might have been negative consequences?"

"Yes. Besides Caput, none of our Chors were destroyed. However, we can't rightfully say that we still would have been safe. Time played out in one way and though we can consider other options, it's not necessarily what would have happened."

The two stepped inside Rodoreamon's office, where they moved to their respective seats. Rodoreamon made a quick phone call, and it wasn't long before one of the servants knocked on the heavy door.

"You called, ma'am?" Paraietta watched the servant with a careful eye, noting his dark locks and lanky form. He stood straight, a book in one hand.

"Please deliver an early dinner to our guests. As for myself, I will have tea in here."

The servant nodded. "I will return shortly." He quickly retreated from the room.

Smiling, Rodoreamon turned her gaze to Paraietta. "Now, let's discuss the orphanage and the war. I'm sure you've plenty to tell me on your end. What I've looked into is more funding for the orphanage, as a way to rebuild the area around it. As you know, no protection was offered before or during the attack."

"We certainly would have been in trouble without Aaeru and Neviril. Without them, I don't want to think of the damage and death that would have been caused."

"Since then, I've spoken to the delegates. They've agreed to fund a small amount toward the cleanup of the area. They'll get rid of the tanks and any left over weapons."

"That's a change from before. Any reason?"

Rodoreamon shook her head. "They didn't give any during our talks. If I may speak outside of my occupation, I would say they want to cover up what happened as much as possible. Empty tanks certainly do make one curious. At any rate, the change worked in our favor."

"I'm glad. I was worried about letting the children play outside and taking them on walks from the orphanage. Any word on the timeframe in which this will be completed?" questioned Paraietta, leaning back in her chair.

"Work begins in two days. I am unsure how long it will take them to remove all traces of the battle though. It could be quick, and it could take a week or more. I would say they would prefer to have it completed as soon as possible." Rodoreamon rummaged inside of her desk, before pulling forth a set of documents. She placed them on the desk between them. "Here's the terms of their contract. As you can see, no time is specified."

"That would certainly be like them." Paraietta pulled the documents toward her and read carefully. She skimmed, looking for anything that Rodoreamon had missed in her initial reading, but knew that the odds of her finding anything different were quite low.

"We can only play the wait and see game. If nothing changes, I will see what I can do. I'm sorry to say they're getting tired of seeing my face." Rodoreamon smiled softly.

"It's all right. I've said it so many times, but you've done so much for us. I'm in your debt. If the delegates were in my position, I'm sure they'd feel that way too."

Laenif couldn't believe what he'd done, but he felt that it had been necessary in every sense of the word. The ink was signed on the paper, and there was nothing he could do to reverse his actions now. In just a few days, he'd find himself leaving the orphanage behind for quite some time. He would miss the children and their laughter, but he couldn't be too sad. After all, he would be striving to protect them and their future.

He walked around the perimeter, the only one allowed outside. It was the only place he had the freedom to think without one of the other children interrupting him. Why had he done it? He knew the answer to that rhetorical question. He walked through the gate and stepped into a battle torn landscape. If he looked far into the distance, he would find the place where the farmer had been killed. He felt that it was all his fault. If only he hadn't been so stupid as to run away… He shook his head. That couldn't be changed now, no matter how much he regretted his stupidity.

Paraietta probably hadn't considered he would choose this as his occupation. She had frowned when he had told her and something flashed in her eyes. She had grown quiet before congratulating him on his decision. Her voice…she didn't really mean it. He could tell. However, Laenif hadn't said a word. He knew when it was best not to. Looking down at the ground, he kicked the dirt with the toe of his shoe.

A sound in the distance startled him. He looked up, and noticed dirt stirring on the path, which meant someone was coming to the orphanage. The cart came closer, and he realized it was Paraietta returning from her visit with the Home Secretary. He walked to the cart as it slowed in front of the gate.

"Laenif, what are you doing outside? Shouldn't you be packing?"

"I… I'm not sure if what I'm doing is right, Paraietta. I thought it was. I wanted to, but—" Mentally he kicked himself for acting like such a child. He'd been to the Spring and chosen to be a male, and he should act more like one. He should be stronger, tougher. That's what it meant to be male, wasn't it?

"I'm sure you'll make a fine soldier of Simulacrum," whispered Paraietta, resting a hand on his shoulder. "You'll make all of us proud." Again with that particular look. As Paraietta walked away, Laenif wondered just what she knew about war herself.


	14. Chapter 14

It wasn't long before Aaeru was given the all clear to fly again. This news excited the girl. She had grown tired of taking it easy and spending much of her days in bed. Though Neviril tried to keep her entertained, Aaeru had simply wanted to fly again, and no one could give that to her easily.

Rodoreamon knew that Neviril was nearly at her wit's end trying to keep Aaeru occupied. She had given the two access to the library, but the entertainment value was lost on Aaeru, who wasn't very fond of books.

"Aaeru's very much a hands-on person," Neviril told Rodoreamon one night after Aaeru had fallen asleep. "I'm the one who reads the books for the history and research. She'll help for a time, but she gets antsy and can't sit still. She'd rather go out and talk to people. In a way, this is just as helpful as the book research."

Rodoreamon set about making the preparations for the flight of the eternal maidens. She knew that it would take some time for Wapourif and Morinas to get the Simoun back to the orphanage, where there was plenty of field space, and less chance of anyone spying the banned aircraft. She wasn't sure how to get it back unseen, but Morinas promised her that it would be done. Rodoreamon could only trust that Morinas knew what she was talking about.

Her research had proven fruitless. Perhaps something like their Ri Majon had never occurred in the history books. To make up for her lack of success, she set about gathering supplies and nonperishable food items that could be stored in the secret compartments in the Simoun. Aaeru had made a few special requests for first aid supplies, as well as military gear, such as flint for starting fires. It was not hard for Rodoreamon to procure any of the requested materials through her channel, and she happily funded them with her own money.

It wasn't long before every part of the plan was complete. The Simoun was being returned to the orphanage that night, and they wouldn't have long before the workers returned a few hours after sunrise to continue the cleanup that had been started on the battle field. Rodoreamon took solace in the fact that she'd convinced them to set up camp a couple miles away, near the other farm. There was no room at the orphanage for the workers, and she played up the concerned citizen, speaking of unexploded missiles and grenades. The head of the work crew had fallen for it, a bit too easily.

"We'll get there by late evening, and launch just as the sun is rising. I believe that should be enough time for you to rest up and leave before anyone notices."

Aaeru nodded confidently. "Great! I can't wait to get my hands back on the controls."

Neviril knew that her partner appeared a bit _too_ eager. "We're grateful for everything, Rodoreamon. You've done too much, and we're thankful."

"I believe you saved our lives. There is no need to thank me. Tempus Spatium protected us, and you were his defense." Rodoreamon smiled, before continuing. "The supplies you wanted are already at the orphanage. We've stored them in the basement for safety purposes. Do you really have to use all of that stuff?"

"Sometimes we end up in a hostile time period, or simply can't find shelter for the night. We have to camp in the wild. I've gotten used to it, and Aaeru has taught me how to fish and build a fire."

"I can't imagine having to do that often," admitted Rodoreamon. She couldn't imagine it at all. She had lived a life of privilege her entire life. Camping was not something she was familiar with.

"Sometimes it's fun. We roasted marshmallows once. They're these sticky sugar treats we found in one world. Neviril—"

"Aaeru!" Neviril's face was a deep red as she desperately tried to keep the other quiet.

Rodoreamon laughed. She knew there had to be a story there. It had been quite some time since she'd seen Neviril so flustered. "I see. I'm sure it was interesting," she remarked.

"It was," grinned Aaeru as she spoke. "She—" Neviril clamped a hand over Aaeru's mouth, preventing her from saying any more.

They left under the cover of darkness. No moon could be seen in the sky. A dim lantern lit the way as the cart creaked along the dirt path. Not one of them said a word, not wanting to come across any unwanted trouble along the way. Rodoreamon sat up front with the driver, whispering to him every so often. Neviril and Aaeru sat in the back, dressed in new clothes suited for flight. Aaeru wore a pair of tan cargo pants and an orange shirt, while Neviril had selected thick navy leggings and a matching navy top.

Perhaps it was the complete darkness, or the fact that if they were stopped, they could not explain being out so late, but all passengers were on edge. Rodoreamon could only look back to her friends every now and then, knowing that the quiet was necessary. She could have sworn she saw Neviril's hand tucked into Aaeru's, but couldn't be sure.

The orphanage was dark when they pulled up to the gates, but a bobbing light soon emerged. Paraietta's face was outlined in the darkness. "I'm glad you all made it safely. Let's get you inside."

Rodoreamon sent the driver on his way, knowing that she wouldn't return any time soon. Aaeru and Neviril hopped down from the cart, and they all followed Paraietta inside. She led them down the dark hallway and then down a set of stairs. No one said a word. The lantern was set on a table, illuminating two other familiar faces.

"Morinas! Wapourif!" exclaimed Aaeru.

"I heard two eternal maidens wanted to fly some banned aircraft," replied Morinas cheekily.

"Morinas, don't tease them," scolded Wapourif. "I'm sorry. She hasn't changed much since you last saw her."

"So you two…" asked Neviril.

"Yup. Got married and have two kids now. Wapourif stays quite busy," explained Morinas with a grin.

Sighing, Wapourif tried to steer the conversation in another direction. "We've fixed everything on the Simoun, and made a few minor adjustments to the weapons system. It should run like it was brand new."

"Thank you. Neither Aaeru nor I have the skills necessary to fix the Simoun when it breaks down. I'm sure it needed fixed."

"Take care of it. From the rumors I've heard in the shipping yard, the Simoun will never be used by any citizen of Simulacrum again. It was difficult to even get the glass to repair the auriga cockpit."

"Come you two. You should rest before sunrise." Rodoreamon directed their attention to a temporary cot setup in the corner. "Everything will go quickly when the time comes, and you can't afford to make any mistakes should we be found out." She paused for a moment. "I'm sorry if I sound pushy. I just want you two to succeed in the mission the rest of us cannot. This country… is not headed done a path of growth anytime soon." No one disagreed with her.

It wasn't long before the first hints of sunrise were taking over the sky. The group gathered just outside the orphanage gates, where the Simoun sat, uncovered. It was clean and polished, as if it hadn't seen battle at all. Aaeru ran forward and inspected it, running her fingers over the cool metal. "So this is it?" she asked.

Rodoreamon nodded. "Wapourif is nearly finished loading the last of the supplies we stored away. Then you should be ready to go."

Paraietta stepped forward. "I hope that we meet again someday. You two won't give up, will you?"

"Of course not," answered Neviril. She smiled at her long-time friend. "At the very least, perhaps we can find a way to bring peace to this world so that it isn't destroyed."

"And I will keep preparing the children here for the future, hoping that perhaps one of them can make a difference when we failed to."

"We didn't fail," said Morinas. "We just didn't know any better. We were too young, and we were only doing as we were told while we tried to make our own choices." She looked to Wapourif, who was closing the hatch on the storage compartment.

"She's right," he added. "If we knew then what we knew now, we might have made a difference. We just did the best we could."

Silence settled between the group for a few moments before Rodoreamon stepped forward and pulled first Aaeru, and then Neviril into an embrace. "I'm going to miss you two. Please stay safe," she whispered.

Paraietta embraced them next. "You won't be forgotten by the children or us. You saved them, and they don't realize what couldn't have happened instead. You're stronger than you realize."

"Paraietta…" murmured Neviril. She leaned over to whisper, "So are you. You've made a difference here, too."

Morinas simply offered a thumbs up and a large grin, which Aaeru returned and Neviril smiled at. "Don't break the Simoun. It's not a toy!" she instructed happily.

"I'll try not to!" remarked Aaeru.

"I included some simple maintenance papers in your first aid kit. They may help you out whenever something breaks," added Wapourif.

Each of them knew that the goodbyes and sentiments could continue until well after sunrise, but they also knew that they were prolonging the inevitable. It was time for Neviril and Aaeru to go. The two climbed into the auriga and sagitta cockpits. Aaeru brought the aircraft to life, and it rumbled beneath them. She gave the group on the ground a thumbs up before shutting the cockpit. Neviril waved before closing her own.

Rodoreamon watched as the Simoun lifted off the ground and then into the air. She held her breath as the Simoun began swooping and looping about, painting the light trail across the sky of the Emerald Ri Majon. She found herself holding her breath, wondering if it would work this time as well. As the trail was connected, it began to glow and just as quickly as they had appeared before, they were gone.

After their departure, everything else seemed dull. Rodoreamon saw Morinas and Wapourif off and then turned to Paraietta. She wanted to say something, anything, but she didn't think she could find the words to express exactly what she felt. Paraietta smiled at her, nodding. Rodoreamon knew that she felt the same way.

The two women headed back inside the orphanage for an early breakfast. Shortly thereafter, the work crews returned to clear away yet more debris. Things were once again normal. The war would continue on until the parties involved decided to resolve the situation in some form. Farmers would farm. Merchants would sell their wares. Peasants would raise their families. None of them would ever know about the two eternal maidens who had suddenly appeared and saved the orphanage from destruction. No one would know that a group of parentless children still lived on. They were merely orphans, after all. But to Paraietta and Rodoreamon, they were the future of Simulacrum, and thus, were the most important beings in the world.

He hefted the bag on his shoulder, waiting patiently in line with all of the other new recruits. Today was the day he'd depart for training, and then it would be to the battlefield for him. He couldn't shake the nervousness inside of him, nor the anxiety that he felt. Very few of the men were talking, and those that were were boasting of their strength and daring. Laenif felt that it was all just talk to cover up fear. Someone jostled him from behind, and he knocked into the person in front of him.

"Watch it, squirt," growled the man. Laenif gulped. The man was twice his size and not someone he wanted to mess with.

"Sorry," he apologized, stepping backward. He repositioned the bag and tried to look uninteresting.

When he had left that morning, Paraietta had quietly seen him off, slipping him a small coin purse. "For when you need it most," she had instructed. He knew that earlier in the morning, she'd seen off the two girls who had flown the strange aircraft. It had been hard to miss the bright flash of light from his window. He wasn't sure what they were doing, but it was beautiful, and something inside him longed to do that too. He didn't know why.

The flash had disappeared as quickly as it had started and when everything cleared, the aircraft had been nowhere to be seen. It was strange. He didn't know how it worked. He also hadn't had time to ponder about it either. Laenif had set about packing up his bag and making sure everything was ready.

Now, all he could do was wait until the line moved forward and they boarded the helical train. He wasn't sure what awaited him in training. He still wasn't sure if he could actually fight in the war. The sound of a helical engine approaching pulled him out of his thoughts. A cheer went up from those around him. The train slowed, and then came to a stop. No one got off; this was a train solely meant to transports military recruits.

"Single file! Move it, men! We've no time to spare nor waist," instructed someone that Laenif couldn't see.

All Laenif could do was move forward, others pushing him from behind. He followed those in front of him and boarded the train. He took an open seat near the window and set his bag in his lap. He wasn't sure what to do with it, but at least it would keep his hands busy.

It wasn't long before the helical train began moving once again. The landscape flashed by, and Laenif watched it, watching familiar sights quickly disappear before his eyes. So this was it. This was the beginning of his journey. He thought of the orphanage and the children. He felt like crying, but he did not. It would not be very appropriate to do in front of the others. He wasn't sure if he'd end up returning home in the end, when all was said and done. He knew that he could only fight and protect those he cared for most.


	15. Epilogue

She shuffled the papers on her desk, placing them into a neat stack for tomorrow. It had been a busy week, and she wasn't sure whether she should feel relieved or not. Rising from her chair, she turned to the large window behind her desk. The sun was finishing setting, and giving off its last bit of brilliant colors for the evening. As she stared, she caught sight of something. It twinkled for a brief moment before disappearing. She blinked. It couldn't have been…

Shaking her head, she grinned at her foolishness. This was a sure sign that she'd been working too late. Ah, Paraietta would surely scold her if she found out. She turned away from the window and back to her desk. That day's newspaper rested on the corner of the desk, folded over. She'd not read it. "Peace Talks Yield Fruit" was the large headline.

Rodoreamon wasn't sure how much truth could be read from the newspaper. True to media, it had continued to feed less than truthful news throughout the rest of the war. It had never mentioned the incident at the orphanage, or the cleanup done afterwards. It was as though that particular piece of history never existed, had never happened.

Two years. It'd been over two years since that incident. At times, it seemed as though the war would never end. Their army had made great advances and then suffered great losses. Men with giant toys that tried to outdo each other… and gained very little in the end. It was a continuous cycle. She was unsure of how long the peace would last this time around. Most likely, a few years at most.

At least this time Simulacrum had come out somewhat better than before. Some of the lost territory from the previous war was restored by Plumbum for loyalty, but not much. The talks had taken a large amount of time talking over this particular part of the treaty. Argentum had wanted the Simoun in exchange, but Plumbum would not hand over the sacred craft. They knew how precious the Simoun were.

That one point could very well be why the peace treaty wouldn't last for long. Rodoreamon suspected that Argentum would lie low for a few years to rebuild and to strategize before attempting once again to take the craft to their country. They would not be satisfied until they could utilize the Simoun and save the country that they had poisoned with pollution. Failure to do so only frustrated and encouraged them even more.

Rodoreamon turned off the lights in her office and left for the evening. She came across one of the servants on her way down the hall. He stopped when he spotted her, an envelope in hand.

"This just came for you, ma'am. I thought you'd want to see it as soon as possible." He handed over the envelope.

Taking it, Rodoreamon flipped it over. It was addressed to her by her name, rather than her title, and in very familiar handwriting. She smiled as she carefully removed the seal and pulled the letter out from within. As she read the short note, she smiled. She had been expecting to hear of this for quite some time, and was glad to finally read of it happening.

It wasn't long before she'd returned to her office and written a response in return. This was a cause for celebration, and she would take part, no question asked. As she sealed the envelope, she decided she would help contribute as well. A few special goods would do well after a period of war.

"Please make sure this is sent back immediately," she instructed one of her messengers. "I want to make sure that it is received as soon as possible."

"As you wish," replied the messenger, tilting his hat to her. She smiled as she watched him go.

At the orphanage, Paraietta felt as though she was going to go crazy. She had never expected something of this manner to cause such a commotion, but then she had clearly underestimated the children in her care. She had expected calm acknowledgement and smiles, not all out jumping up and down and shouting in joy.

Sighing and counting softly to herself, she collected her patience. After reaching five, she looked up, a cheerful smile on her face. She clapped loudly three times. "If you can hear my voice, please touch your lips," she instructed.

One by one, the children placed their fingers to their lips. Many copied after seeing their neighbors' reactions. Soon, there was silence in the room. "Now, we have a lot to do to prepare for this. I know you're all excited, but we can't do anything if you're not going to listen."

She paused, watching for the children's reactions. They leaned forward on their knees. She then looked to the nurse maids in the back of the room and nodded to them. "We'll be splitting into groups. Some of you will help with decorations, and the rest of you will help with making snacks."

"Do we get to pick?" asked one of the older girls in the front.

"We've already put you into groups, so there's no picking."

"Aww, but am I with my friends?"

Paraietta winked. "You'll see when you get your group. Now, I expect everyone to work their hardest. It's going to take a lot of work for everything to come together, but I know we can all do it and be ready for tomorrow. Okay?"

"Okay!" shouted the children in reply.

"Good. Now, the nurse maids will come and put you into your groups. I'll be watching as all of you work."

She stepped aside as one by one the nurse maids came forward and called the names of their groups. Each group either headed for the classrooms or the kitchens. She smiled as the children exited the dining hall, knowing that this would be a wonderful home coming.

"Am I late?" called a voice from the doorway.

Spinning quickly, she looked to see if she had heard correctly. She nearly lost her balance doing so.

"Rodoreamon! I wasn't expecting you today."

"I had to come help after I read your note. It seems I estimated my arrival just right. I also brought a wagon of supplies. You were planning for a party, correct?"

"We were, but we didn't have much. Surely you didn't—"

Rodoreamon held up a hand, cutting her off. "I used some of my own money. Do you think the delegates would have given me funding for something such as this?"

"You're sure you couldn't somehow convince them?" She laughed when Rodoreamon merely put her hands on her hips. She couldn't resist teasing the younger woman.

"I think you were going to show me where the supplies should be unloaded," remarked Rodoreamon. She turned around and said nothing more, leaving a laughing Paraietta to catch up to her.

As the train pulled into the station, Laenif shifted his eyes toward the window. It was just after eight in the morning. Inside, he was as giddy as a child, but on the outside, he appeared calm and collected. Two years. It'd been two years since he'd been on this platform. He rose from his seat, and reached for his rucksack. The last time he'd rode the train, he'd left on the military car. Now, he was just another passenger looking to head home.

He shuffled the bag until it sat snugly on his shoulders, which weren't as small as they were when he left. Perhaps the hardest part of training had been going through the process of transitioning during that time. He'd dealt not only with his voice changing, but his physical features as well. As a result, he'd suffered some unpleasant teasing. Once he'd gotten past the majority of the transitioning, he'd found that things were easier. He was taller, more muscular, and had just a bit of stubble on his chin.

Inside though, he was still the same Laenif that had left. It was hidden well, but still there. He wondered what had happened at the orphanage since he'd left. He had spent so much of the past two years in the field that he didn't have a way to mail a letter home. It hadn't been until the end of the first year that he'd been able to keep in touch.

Even then, the letters back and forth had been short and to the point. At times, he had downright lied about what he saw in the field. The houses destroyed, lives lost, children crying… There had even been a point when he wasn't sure what the war was about any more. The day in the field when his unit had received the news of the cease fire had been a wonderful day. A few weeks later, news of the war's end reached them. They were finally allowed to go home.

Stepping off the train was refreshing. Laenif felt as though his step were light. He decided he would walk to the orphanage instead of finding a wagon that could take him the few miles out of town. He was expected, but he had told Paraietta that he would arrive in the afternoon. He'd made better time on the train than he'd originally thought, and the weather was pleasant. His boots kicked up small puffs of dust as he headed down the all too familiar road.

"Paraietta! Paraietta!"

Paraietta looked up from the documents she'd been reviewing with Rodoreamon as one of the children burst through the door. She clutched a teddy bear, her curly brown hair tied in pigtails. She had had no qualms about throwing the door opening, much to the dismay of the nursemaid behind her.

"Ginesia, you were supposed to knock first!" scolded the nursemaid gently.

"But this is important news!" protested Ginesia.

"What is it, Ginesia?" asked Paraietta, chuckling. She knew that the girl was apt to forgo manners when she was excited about something.

"Laenif's coming down the road! I spotted him first!" She puffed out her chest.

"What? He wasn't expected until this afternoon. He's early."

"You go meet him, Paraietta. I will speak to the cook in the kitchen. It will work out." Rodoreamon stood, putting the documents back into the envelope they had come from.

"I'll trust you then." She turned to the nursemaid. "Gather all the children into the main yard. I know they don't want to miss this.

The nursemaid bowed. "Yes ma'am. Come on, Ginesia. Let's go make sure everyone gets outside."

Rodoreamon made it outside just as she saw Laenif not to far from the main gate. She slipped in beside Paraietta, and smiled. She could see that Laenif had changed quite a bit since she'd last seen him. He was grinning as he headed toward the gate in his army fatigues, a bag slung over his shoulder. It reminded her of how she had felt when she had returned home after being dismissed as a Sibylla. She knew that nothing could replace the feeling of knowing you were home.

The children were quick to rush toward Laenif, and he had to work to regain proper balance, which was a hard task when three tried to latch on to him. He was pulled this way and that, but eventually knelt to their level and pulled them into a large hug. Every time he tried to get up, he was weighted down by yet another of the girls.

They let him up when they saw Paraietta stepping forward. "Welcome home, Laenif. It's so good to see you again." She pulled the tall young man into a hug. She could not describe the feeling inside her heart at that moment. She only knew that it must be what a mother felt like when their child returned from war.

"I'm sorry to be early. I wanted to come home and see everyone as soon as I could," apologized Laenif as he stepped away.

"It's all right. We've taken care of everything," Rodoreamon said as she stepped forward.

"Home Secretary… I didn't think you'd be here…."

"I wouldn't miss something like this. If you'll come inside, the children have worked hard on a surprise for you."

Laenif followed the two women, the children crowded around him. It was a task to even fit into the door, but he managed to fit without banging any of their heads, arms, or legs. He was led to the dining hall, and was greeted by the sight of hand crafted pictures and decorations, as well as the delicious smells of a variety of foods he hadn't been privileged to have since he first left.

"Sit with me!"

"No me!"

It took Rodoreamon and Paraietta quite some time to get the children settled and served. All of them wanted to sit at the same table as Laenif. Eventually, Paraietta suggested that he rotate to the tables. This satisfied the children and helped them to settle down quickly.

Paraietta and Rodoreamon watched the children from afar as they chattered happily and shouted questions to Laenif. He was star of the moment, and told stories to the children as they ate their meal. "It's quite a sight, isn't it?" asked Rodoreamon softly, noticing Paraietta watching the children and Laenif more than she was eating.

"It is…I just wonder how long it will last." She smiled sadly, and then looked to Rodoreamon. "I'm sorry. I should be happy, but after seeing the same thing happen to us before…well…"

Rodoreamon patted the top of Paraietta's hand. "Unfortunately, it is the way things work. We don't know if this peace will last or not. All we can do is enjoy it while it does and hope that our future turns out differently than our past has."

"I suppose you're right."

"I'd like to think so," answered Rodoreamon with a smile. "We have the children here at the orphanage to help, and Tempus Spatium watching over us. Perhaps, as before, he will give us divine blessing."

The two women continued their meal as the celebration lasted well into the afternoon before many of the children tuckered out. The festivities gave hope to those there that the future would be peaceful and brighter. They believed and hoped that the madness of war would not continue to ravage their homeland and their people, and they would pass this belief on in their own ways. To believe was to be blessed, a lesson never to be forgotten.

**Now that we're finally to the end, I'm not sure what to really say. This project was a labor of love that took a lot longer than I thought it would. I hope that I was able to tell a bit of a post-series tale that you enjoyed. One of my main goals was to have a post-series fic that was completed and a longshot. It was interesting to learn the complexities of characters I didn't usually write, as well as try my hand with an original character. For a first attempt at OC, I think I did a decent job. I know there was a point in my planning stages for this fic where that OC would have been more Mary Sue than I would have liked. I really tried to stay away from that, and simply use the OC tale within the story alongside the main plot.**

**Sadly, I cannot forsee myself doing anymore Simoun longshots for the time being. There is just too much going on in my life, and finishing this story made me remember how much work goes into putting something like this together. I hope that you've enjoyed my story, and will leave feedback if you can. Until next time!**


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